Julia Price named head coach of USA women's team

Former Australia international Julia Price has been appointed the head coach of the USA women's team. Price was part of the Australia women's World Cup-winning team in 1997 and 2005. The appointment follows a process that ended with interviews of three candidates, with Price emerging the winner.

USA are looking to qualify for the women's T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia next year, and Price's first task will be to identify a squad of 14 players - the selection process will take place on March 23 and 24 in California.

Her first assignment will be a three-match Americas qualifying tournament against Canada in May, with the winners progressing to the eight-team T20 World Cup qualifier to be held in Scotland in August.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to have been appointed as head coach for the USA Cricket women's national team," Price was quoted as saying in a press release. "I believe that the potential for growth of cricket in America, particularly in the women's game, is quite phenomenal. We have a huge year coming up so I can't wait to get going with the squad and hit the ground running from this weekend."

Price was until last month the head coach of WBBL franchise Hobart Hurricanes. In the past, apart from coaching the Australia women's team, she has served as a consultant with USA Cricket Combines, a partnership between USA Cricket and Cricket Australia.