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Warwickshire have appointed former England Women assistant coach Alistair Maiden as their first-ever head coach when the Bears Women take their place in the planned revamping of the professional women's team structure in 2025.

Dudley-born Maiden, 41, who opened the batting for Birmingham League side Wolverhampton and played Minor Counties cricket for Staffordshire and Northumberland, has been batting coach with Yorkshire's men's side for the last two years.

He has worked alongside Bears men's head coach Mark Robinson before, having been part of the backroom team when England Women won the ICC World Cup in 2017.

He has also been in charge of the Academy and Talent Pathway with Leicestershire and was assistant coach of London Spirit Women in The Hundred.

Maiden will start work on 1 November as the Bears prepare for a major restructure of the domestic women's game from 2025 - along with Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset and Surrey, the other seven sides awarded Tier 1 status.

“I’m hugely excited to be joining Bears Women at the start,” said Maiden. “I’ve spoken to several people at the club and it’s clear they’re passionate about women’s cricket, forming a successful side, and encouraging more women and girls into the sport.

“I’ve had various coaching and head coach roles and been looking for an opportunity to get back into women’s cricket.

"I put my name in the hat for this job very early on."