Wednesday, 23 October 2019:

England have looked to the experience of Australia's top women's coaches for their domestic cricket as they aim to close the gap at the top of the female game.

Australia's national coach Matthew Mott will headline three Aussies to coach in the inaugural eight-team women's Hundred competition next year.

His national assistant Ben Sawyer and former star Lisa Keightley have also been asked to take charge of teams.

It comes as England begin to revamp their women's cricket set up.

Once considered on par with Australia in professionalism, much was made of the gap in the country's two structures during the Aussies' recent 12-4 Ashes success.

That has extended to everything from Australia's depth through the Women's Big Bash, to the coaching structure and other pathways in the country.

"It's a real shot in the arm for coaching in Australia," Mott told AAP

"We have invested really well in coaching in Australia over the past 20-30 years and it has become a genuine career pathway for people.

"England is similar. They've invested a lot in their level four coaching as well.

"I think especially in the women's game, Australia have been on top of the tree for a long time and there have been a number of good coaches come through."

Mott has coached men's county cricket previously, and believes it has helped him on English tours since.

England also confirmed this week they'd offer an extra 40 players contracts going forward, noting the extra depth in Australia's game due to the WBBL.

The Hundred will become England's new elite women's competition with international imports and extra resources expected to be available to coaches.

Australians Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy and Sophie Molineux have at this stage committed to the competition.

Meanwhile Sawyer, who is the coach of the dominant Sydney Sixers in the WBBL, had no doubt he was brought in due to his time as an Australian assistant coach.

"They rang me and I guess because I was there for the Ashes when they were probably talking about coaching," Sawyer said.

"But I also think it's a credit to the players. They probably want the Australian players and think Aussie coaches are more of a chance to recruit them."

Five former international Australian players will also coach in the men's version of the Hundred, as well as three other overseas mentors.

It comes after Sydney Thunder boss Trevor Griffin this summer joined the Hobart Hurricanes' Salliann Briggs as one of two English coaches in the WBBL.

AAP