London, Oct 8 (IANS): The England women’s cricket team is looking to appoint a man with international experience as its new head coach.

Paul Shaw will be stepping down after the summer's Ashes loss to Australia. A head coach is to be hired.

“The qualities and experiences we are looking for are going to be found more than likely with a coach who has worked at as high a level as possible in the men's game,” Clare Connor, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) head of women's cricket, was quoted as saying by BBC on Wednesday.

The formal recruitment process starts this week, with Shaw leaving at the end of the year.

"The players are in a very different place in terms of their responsibilities, their accountability, their status as professional sportswomen -- and the scrutiny and pressure that goes with that,” Connor said.

"The person who will lead those players in the next stage of their professional development is more than likely going to be a man who has had those experiences in the men's game," England’s head of women’s board said.

England will feature next in international action in February when they play three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals in South Africa.