Fran Wilson, the former England international cricketer, has announced her retirement from professional play. She will still have an influence, as she is now sole head coach of Gloucestershire Women’s team. This decision even signifies the end of an award-winning playing career that has spanned more than a decade. During those years, she made some amazing accomplishments with her club and country.
Wilson served as the representative for Somerset from 2006 until 2014, returning for a second term in 2025. In her wake, she has left an indelible mark on women’s cricket. Throughout her domestic and international playing career, Wilson scored more than 2,500 runs in List A and T20 matches combined. She finished her spell at Somerset having scored 574 runs in 28 matches. This impressive accomplishment is a huge testament to her consistent performance and excellence on the field.
Somerset endured a harsh campaign, languishing at the foot of the South group in the Vitality Blast with just a single victory from eight fixtures. Wilson’s priority is to ensure that the lowly-placed club enjoys “sustainable success.” Her tireless efforts kept Somerset in the race for a fifth-place finish, just above the league 2 line for the One-Day Cup women’s league. They did this by winning five of their nine matches.
Wilson’s international career was equally impressive. She took 64 wickets for England in all formats. She wore that title well as she was a proud member of the team that captured the 2017 World Cup. During that tournament, she played in all but one of England’s nine matches all the way to the final against India. Wilson made her debut for England at just 19 years old in 2010 and became a regular member of the team by 2016. She was on the squad that made the T20 World Cup semi-finals in 2020.
Wilson shared these thoughts about her career and move to the coaching ranks, and how excited she is about that.
“What a ride it’s been, one that’s taken me to all corners of the globe with England and then in more recent times back to the West Country.” – Fran Wilson
Reflecting on the impact of her path on women’s cricket, she highlighted the importance of her journey, saying,
“To know this opportunity is now normal for women is incredible and to have been a part of the growth of the game is something I take immense pride in.” – Fran Wilson
She has coached on and off while playing for years. Now, she is looking forward to diving in and making this new responsibility her own.
“I have decided that the 2025 season was my last and that I will be hanging up my bat – for good this time,” – Fran Wilson
Having engaged in coaching alongside her playing duties for several years, she is eager to take on this new responsibility fully.
“I’ve done a lot of coaching alongside playing over the last five or six years, but it’s really exciting to step into that journey fully, especially with Gloucestershire, a great club that I’ve been involved with for a long time,” – Fran Wilson
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