Key Points

The UP Warriorz have parted ways with head coach Jon Lewis after three seasons in the Women's Premier League. While Lewis initially took the team to playoffs in 2023, they struggled in 2024 with captain Alyssa Healy's injury and finished last. The franchise posted an emotional farewell thanking Lewis for his leadership and belief in the team. Lewis, who also recently stepped down as England women's coach, leaves with a mixed record of 9 wins in 25 WPL matches.

Key Points: UP Warriorz WPL Franchise Drops Coach Jon Lewis After Poor Season

  • Lewis led Warriorz to 2023 playoffs but 2024 bottom finish
  • Team won only 9 of 25 matches under him
  • Also coached England women until Ashes defeat
  • Former England bowler with 849 first-class wickets
2 min read

Women's Premier League franchise UP Warriorz part ways with coach Jon Lewis

UP Warriorz end Jon Lewis' 3-year stint as head coach after finishing last in WPL 2024 despite early playoff success in 2023.

"You'll always be a part of the Warriorz Family – UP Warriorz Instagram farewell to Jon Lewis"

Lucknow, June 27

UP Warriorz parted ways with their head coach Jon Lewis following a three-year-association in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

Lewis had a fine start to his run with the franchise, taking them to the playoffs during the inaugural WPL season in 2023, but lost to the Mumbai Indians (MI). In 2024, they finished second-last, with three wins in eight games. In the latest season, the team had to deal with skipper Alyssa Healy injured and Deepti Sharma captaining the side.

Warriorz finished at the bottom of the tournament this year, with three wins in eight games, as per ESPNCricinfo.

Giving him a farewell, Warriorz posted on their official Instagram, "From day one, you believed in us. Through the highs, the learnings, and everything in between -- Thank You, Coach Jon Lewis, for leading with heart, calm, and belief. You'll always be a part of the Warriorz Family."

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLZWKMjooRj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

Overall, under Lewis, the team managed to win nine out of 25 matches. They also hold the record for the highest total in WPL: 225 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) earlier this year, with Aussie youngster Georgia Voll (99* in 56 balls) shining with the bat.

Lewis was performing dual roles, as he had been England's head coach for the women's team since November 2022. But he stepped down from the spot after Australia won the women's Ashes by a clean sweep of 16 points to nil.

Before being a coach, Lewis was a massive feature of English cricket for two decades and was a consistent wicket-taker for Gloucestershire, in the main, and Surrey and Sussex, where he ended his career in 2014

Prior to becoming a prominent coach, Lewis played top-flight cricket in England for close to two decades, and was a consistent wicket-taker for Gloucestershire, in the main, and Surrey and Sussex, where he ended his career in 2014. He also turned out in a Test, 13 ODIs and two T20Is. He took 849 scalps in 251 matches in first-class cricket and 25 scalps in international cricket.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Tough decision but probably the right one. Warriorz performance has been declining year after year. We need fresh energy in the coaching staff to match teams like MI and DC. Hope they find a good Indian coach this time 🇮🇳 #WPL
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Priya M.
The farewell message was so classy! 👏 Shows good sportsmanship. Lewis did his best but managing both England and UP teams must have been tough. Maybe next season we'll see more focus on developing Indian talent rather than relying on foreign players.
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Ankit S.
Only 9 wins in 25 matches is not acceptable for a franchise with players like Deepti Sharma and Alyssa Healy. The management should have acted sooner. WPL is becoming competitive and we can't afford to lag behind.
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Sneha P.
The record 225 against RCB was magical to watch! 💫 But consistency matters more than occasional brilliance. Hope the new coach builds a stronger team culture. UP deserves better performance next season!
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Vikram J.
Injuries to key players like Healy really hurt the team's chances. But that's where good coaching comes in - adapting to challenges. Maybe time to give someone like Jhulan Goswami a coaching role? She understands Indian conditions perfectly.
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Neha T.
The way they handled the departure shows UP Warriorz is a professional franchise. Unlike some men's IPL teams that create unnecessary drama. WPL setting good examples for women's cricket administration in India. More power to them! ✊

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