Edmund Christopher "Ed" Joyce (born 22 September 1978) is an Irish cricket coach and former cricketer who represented both the Ireland and England national cricket teams. A left-handed batsman who occasionally bowled right-arm medium pace, Joyce is widely regarded as one of the finest cricketers produced by Ireland.
| Full name | Edmund Christopher Joyce |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 September 1978 |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm medium (occasional) |
| National sides | Ireland, England |
| Domestic teams | Middlesex, Sussex, Leinster Lightning |
| Retirement | 24 May 2018 |
| Coaching role | Interim head coach, Ireland women's cricket team (from June 2019) |
Joyce began his professional career in English county cricket with Middlesex. After qualifying through residency to represent England, he was selected for the senior England squad and went on to feature in major international assignments before returning to Irish cricket in the later stages of his career.
Joyce played for Middlesex before moving to Sussex in 2009. After his time in the English county game, he returned to Ireland to play for Leinster Lightning in the newly established first-class competition, the Irish Inter-Provincial Championship.
Having qualified to play for England, Joyce was a member of the England squad during the 2006–07 Ashes series in Australia and the 2007 Cricket World Cup held in the West Indies.
After dropping down the pecking order for England selection, Joyce received a special dispensation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to represent Ireland in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. He was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Ireland's first-ever Test match, against Pakistan.
Joyce announced his retirement from all professional cricket on 24 May 2018. In June 2019, he was appointed as the interim head coach of the Ireland women's cricket team.
Joyce's career bridged Ireland's transition from an associate cricketing nation to a Full Member of the ICC. Having played international cricket for England at the highest levels of the global limited-overs calendar, his return to play for Ireland and his presence in the country's historic first Test match underline his importance to the development of Irish cricket. He is broadly regarded as one of the leading batsmen Ireland has produced.