Read, who played 15 Tests between 1999 and 2007 and represented England in all three formats, has since served as an assistant coach with Trent Rockets in the Women’s Hundred and Hobart Hurricanes in the WBBL, as well as working as a maintenance consultant of wickets with the ECB, including a spell with the England under-19 men’s team.

He will join the Thunder setup on a two-year deal in January and inherits a team that reached the day of the 2023 Charlotte Edwards Cup Finals.

“I am very proud to have taken on this role and am looking forward to working with such an ambitious club and such a talented team of players,” Read said.

“The development of the Thunder regional program over recent years has been impressive and it is clear that the ambitions of everyone involved are to support it by bringing titles to Emirates Old Trafford.

“I believe my experiences as a player and, more recently, as a coach around the world, will help the Thunder move forward and achieve our ambitions in the coming seasons.”

David Thorley, regional director of women’s cricket, added: “Throughout an extensive interview process, Chris stood out based on the candidate’s summary of what we were looking for in a head coach, which is someone who can build on the strong foundations laid during Paul Shaw’s tenure and to help continue to evolve the high-performance culture here at Thunder.

“It’s clear that Chris is an excellent tactician who knows what it takes to win through a positive style of cricket, and I look forward to the Thunder’s future under his leadership.”