Experienced England batting coach and former Kent Head Coach Matthew Walker has joined Warwickshire as the Club’s new batting coach.
Walker – an England Batting Coach on the recent tour to the West Indies alongside Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley – has signed a one-year deal for the 2025 season.
He replaces Tony Frost who has moved into a role as Head of Cricket Operations as part of the Club’s High Performance Review conducted over the winter.
Walker left his role as Head Coach of Kent last September after an eight-year stint that saw him achieve promotion to Division One of the County Championship, win the Vitality Blast in 2021 (pic below) and the Royal London One Day Cup the following season
The 51-year-old – who was Assistant Coach in Oval Invincibles’ The Hundred winning side last summer – has worked regularly over the last 10 years as a specialist batting coach with England.
He was Batting Coach with England Lions in 2014 and 2015, and joined training camps with England Men in 2018, 2020, and most recently last autumn on the white ball tour to the Caribbean.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be joining Warwickshire,” said Walker. “It’s a club I’ve always admired and loved playing against over the years.
“I am extremely excited to be working closely with Ian (Westwood) and all his support staff and also with the playing squad. They are an incredibly talented group and I can’t wait to start working with them.
“I had the pleasure of spending some time with Jacob and Dan on England’s tour to the West Indies and I know the rest of the batting group is filled with great skill and ability. I am looking forward to what I am sure will be a very successful season for the club.”
As a player, Walker scored more than 20,000 career runs and averaged over 50 in a season on three occasions with Kent, including 2006 when he hit 1,419 runs at an average of 61.19.
He enjoyed 16 seasons at Kent, becoming a firm Club favourite, before ending his playing days at Essex where he replaced Graham Gooch as Batting Coach in 2012.
After two seasons Walker returned to Kent as Assistant Coach before being promoted to Head Coach.
Warwickshire First Team Coach Ian Westwood, said: “Matt is hugely experienced as a player, specialist batting coach and head coach. It’s rare to have someone of his calibre available; he’ll be a good fit for the Club and our coaching team.
“He knows the County Championship circuit inside out and has great white ball coaching pedigree in The Hundred and with England.
“He’s worked with some of our lads as part of the England coaching set-up and everyone I’ve chatted to speaks very highly of him. It’s great to have Matt on board.”
2025 Membership
It’s an historic year for the Club in 2025, as Bears Men and Women will compete side-by-side. Bears together.
Join the journey with Memberships available, including 1882 Full Club (all domestic cricket), our new B5 White Ball (T20, 50-Over and The Hundred) and Junior Bears (U16s).
