SOUTHERN Vipers head coach, Charlotte Edwards, will be making the trip over to Australia over the winter to head up the Sydney Sixers for the WBBL.

Edwards replaces Ben Sawyer, who led the Sixers in all seven editions of the WBBL, including a pair of titles and two other finals appearances at the helm of the league’s most popular club, before he moved full-time to the Australian women’s team.

Edwards is remaining as Head Coach of the Southern Vipers and will resume her role at the two-time Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy winners once the WBBL is complete.

“I’m extremely excited to be offered the role with the Sixers who are one of the most successful women’s domestic teams in the world,” Edwards said.

“To be associated with a team like the Sixers is really exciting for me and I really can’t wait to get started.

“The vision for the Sixers is to bring back trophies for the club,” she added. “More importantly is the way we do that.

“I think the way we do that is to play a really exciting and entertaining style of cricket that hopefully the fans are proud of and want to come and watch. That means a lot to me and the group.”

Edwards’ 20-year international playing career is stuff of legend, from making her debut at 16 as England’s youngest ever player, to leading her country to success in an Ashes series, and world titles in one-day and Twenty20 formats.

In addition to awards as ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year, Wisden Cricketer of the Year, and ECB Cricketer of the Year, Edwards was also bestowed MBE and CBE for her services to cricket.

Edwards has had a taste of the WBBL before too, playing seasons at the Perth Scorchers and Adelaide Strikers in the earlier years of the world’s premier domestic women’s tournament.

Since moving into coaching upon her retirement from playing in 2017, Edwards has shared similar success, winning several English domestic titles as head coach of her former team Southern Vipers.

In 2021, the new English domestic women's Twenty20 competition, the Charlotte Edwards Cup, was named after her in recognition of her contribution to English cricket.

Cricket NSW head of female cricket, Leah Poulton, paid tribute to Sawyer while welcoming the new era for the Sixers.

“Ben has been a wonderful leader over many years at the Sixers and he’s done a fantastic job developing a generation of players,” Poulton said.

“We are proud not just of Ben’s achievements but also of the way in which he worked so hard to build a culture within the team and a connection with our members and fans.

“Charlotte brings with her extensive leadership experience and a reputation for bringing out the best in those around her.

“She has already demonstrated a clear vision for the team, it’s an exciting brand of cricket which I’m sure will appeal to our fans.”