England women's cricket coach Mark Lane wins top award

England women's coach Mark Lane has been awarded the UK Coach of the Year award at the UK Coaching Awards ceremony in London.

The 41-year-old guided the team to a World Cup and World Twenty20 double, a 4-0 one-day series win over Australia and the retaining of the Women's Ashes.

He was also awarded the High Performance Coach of the Year accolade.

"Mark played a key role in helping the team develop into a truly world class side," ex-captain Clare Connor said.

Connor, now the England and Wales Cricket Board's head of women's cricket, added: "Mark should be congratulated on a year of unprecedented success.

"I know that Mark, the rest of the management and the entire team are already focussed on 2010 and beyond and ensuring that the team maintains its position as the best in the world and continues to inspire girls to play the game.

"It is no coincidence that as our levels of investment in women's cricket have increased so have the performances of the national side and the number of girls playing the game and I hope we are able to continue to support them to allow these players the opportunity to fulfil their potential."

The ECB managing director, Hugh Morris, was also delighted with the contribution of Lane.

"Mark has been working with the England women's team since April 2008 and his passion for the game and the hard work of all involved have helped the team achieve a huge amount in the last 18 months," he said.

"This, coupled with the increased investment into women's cricket particularly in the last four years, has helped England become the dominant force in the game."

Cricket also scooped a third prize, the Coaching Intervention of the Year Award, at the ceremony for its "cricket education offer."

The award was for women's cricket's work with the Chance to Shine programme, where eight members of the England team worked as coaching ambassadors.