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Born in the Midlands – his football team is Derby County – Dean learned cricket at Havant Cricket Club in Hampshire, where his father Steven played after a brilliant minor county career in the 1980s and 90s.
Windsor, three years older, coached Dean in junior cricket before moving on to Havant’s boys’ team and the Hampshire and Southern Vipers’ first elevens.
“There are some cricket badgers who love to watch the game who are vocal about it. He’s a silent badger,” says Windsor. “He sees a lot of crickets but not in your face.”
An England age-group regular, Dean made his county debut for Hampshire as a 15-year-old, where his early seasons spanned the final years of England coach Charlotte Edwards’ illustrious playing career.
“The thing that stands him in such good stead is that he reads cricket really well,” added Windsor.
“That’s why we see him as a leader now. He’s always seemed cricket-smart.”
Dean and Edwards first met when Dean was a “very shy” 10-year-old but when he made his England debut in 2021, it was Edwards, then the Vipers coach, who invited the 20-year-old to present him with his first cap.
Such a rapid ascent denied Dean, now a youngster in the team, the chance to captain the team as he came through the Hampshire and England academy ranks.
His only real experience in charge before this summer was two seasons at The Hundred with London Spirit, when injury ruled out former England captain Heather Knight. She was preferred over Australia’s Beth Mooney and current New Zealand captain Mellie Kerr – two more experienced players.
“I thought Charlie was well-respected within the group,” Spirit coach Trevor Griffin said. “He had a connection.
“It was always going to be a step up but the main thing for me was his curiosity around the game, he understood how to play it, he understood the connection between the format and the playing group.”
