Mark McInnes takes over as Lancashire Thunder coach as Alex Blackwell leaves for hospital job

Ex-Australia captain Blackwell has only recently been offered a job in genetic counselling at the Royal Sydney Children’s Hospital and returned Down Under having spent a week with the squad at Emirates Old Trafford

Lancashire Thunder have made a late, but significant, coaching change ahead of this summer’s Kia Women’s Super League with Australian Mark McInnes now taking over as head coach from Alex Blackwell.

Ex-Australia captain Blackwell has only recently been offered a job in genetic counselling at the Royal Sydney Children’s Hospital and returned Down Under this morning having spent a week with the squad at Emirates Old Trafford.

McInnes was always due to work as Blackwell’s assistant during the KSL and replicate his current role in the Big Bash with Sydney Thunder.

But now he will make the step up to his first head coach’s role, whilst keeping in contact with Blackwell.

“Whilst it’s a shame that Alex won’t be with us, Mark has got a great CV,” said Thunder general manager Bobby Cross.

“He’s worked with the NSW Breakers, who are their WNCL side and have won, I think, 20 out of the last 23 titles.

“They’ve got an incredible record, and he’s been part of that as an assistant coach, particularly working with the spin bowlers and the bats.

“He’s also been an assistant coach throughout the WBBL with the Thunder, for whom Alex played for. In the last five years of Alex’s career, he was her go-to coach.

^{Alex Blackwell played 144 ODIs for Australia}

“She would always go to him for advice and credits him with taking her, in the back end of her career, from a player who she thought was as good as she was ever going to improving again significantly.

“Already, in the week he’s been with us, the girls have realised how good a coach he is.

“Before cricket, Alex was trained in genetics. She’s now got a job at the Royal Sydney Children’s Hospital working in genetic counselling.

“That was her childhood passion and education background, and she couldn’t turn it down.

“Anyone who knows Alex knows she will throw herself wholeheartedly into everything she gets involved with.

“So it was no surprise that when she found out she couldn’t commit to the full KSL, she was still keen to come over here and give us a week of her time to introduce Mark and have a smooth handover.

“The girls really appreciated her being around because what she started last year and put in place was excellent.”

McInnes, who has worked with India batter and Thunder overseas star Harmanpreet Kaur whilst in Sydney, is hugely excited about his first taste of a senior head coaching role.

“I’ve been an assistant coach for a long time, so getting the opportunity to be a head coach with the backing of Alex and the club will be great,” said the former leg-spinner with two first-class appearances to his name.

“I’m really excited because of the group that we’ve got. We have seven girls who’ve played international cricket, and there’s a few with points to prove.

“We have some really good players to come in. Sune Luus has opened the batting for South Africa, Tahlia McGrath has played for Australia and Sophia Dunkley from Surrey.

“I’ll be in contact with Alex a fair bit.

“We’ve discussed some options, and I’ll still be in communication with her to review various things and thrash them out. She’ll definitely be a part of the tournament.”

Courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network.

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