FORMER captain Charlotte Edwards has been appointed as the new head coach of England Women, vowing to bring a “passionate” approach to the job.

Edwards was the immediate favourite when Jon Lewis was sacked in the aftermath of a painful Ashes whitewash, and the England and Wales Cricket Board has moved swiftly to get her in, taking less than a fortnight to finalise the move.

The 45-year-old, who represented her country on more than 300 occasions, lifted World Cups in both white-ball formats and won five Ashes series, said: “I am so delighted to once again be part of the leadership of the England Women’s cricket team and I cannot wait to take this team forward and drive us to success.