England in Harmer's way

Claire Taylor's maiden Test hundred was a bonus

Former England player Barbara Daniels considers the future prospects for the women's team following the home series against Australia.

The women's Test and one-day series saw Australia winning everything convincingly.

England will feel that they closed the gap, however, particularly in the final Test at Headingley where Claire Taylor scored an impressive hundred and Australia at least had to bat twice.

But Karen Rolton's 209 not out and Catherine Fitzpatrick's nine wickets in the game fittingly demonstrated that the gap between the two sides is still considerable.

Much has been made of the fact that this is a very young and inexperienced England team.

This is true, but what happens now to help these players improve rapidly and enable them to face the challenges offered by the likes of New Zealand, India and South Africa as well as Australia?

A big part of the answer is John Harmer.

John Harmer: The key to future success

He finished as coach to the Australian women after the World Cup in December 2000 and is largely credited with turning them into world beaters.

Harmer officially took up his duties as England coach on 1 July and had his first session with the team after the Headingley defeat.

There is unsurprisingly an awful lot expected of Harmer who, thanks to Lottery funding is the first full-time coaching appointment to the women's side.

He initially only has a two-year contract, although many hope he will be able to extend this to four to take the side to the next World Cup in South Africa.

Two years is a short time to meet such high expectations; he worked with the Australians for four years before they won the 1997 World Cup.

Another way to close the gap is to improve the standard of the domestic game.

Laura Harper: One of England's young talents

It is often pointed out that the Australian domestic competition is much tougher and helps create a conducive environment for developing talented players.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is currently looking at creating a format of competition where the top players in the country will be put into teams and play against each other.

This step should be applauded and clubs and counties encouraged to actively participate in developing talented youngsters.

This means enabling players to play at the highest level even if it means encouraging them to move to another club to fulfil their potential.

While current England players are often the first to criticise the domestic competition, it should be noted that not all of them perform effectively at this level.

They should be the highest scorers and wicket takers in domestic competition. If they are not then targets should be set for them to meet so that their domestic cricket is directly relevant to the international expectation.

India will be England's next opponents

Real improvements will only be made if the whole of the women's game accepts responsibility and a willingness to be part of the change.

I would like to see John Harmer promoting not only his coaching methods but an aggressive and positive style of play that all clubs and counties can buy into.

This is what he did in Australia with the individual states replicating what was being done at a national level to ensure the right type of players were coming through.

This brave new world is possible as Harmer inherits a strong junior set-up established by former coach Paul Farbrace, along with Jane Powell and Charlotte Dickenson.

So England have a ready pool of talented players, an exceptional coach and a committed and determined captain in Clare Connor.

This, allied to other coaches who are prepared to be open minded and help spread the word, should mean England are well placed to fulfil their potential and become a team that is achieving and not just developing.

Look for the first signs of change when England tour India in February 2002.