The appointment of its first Australian selector, its first female coach and a new-look team has made it a landmark day for England’s men’s cricket team as it prepares to plunge into its post-Ashes Test recovery.
Marcus North, the former Australia middle-order batter, was confirmed on Wednesday as the first foreigner to hold the position of England men’s national team selector.
He will be a major figure in the English game, heavily involved in choosing all squads from youth to senior Test level.
The 46-year-old Melburnian, who is leaving his job as director of cricket with Durham, said it was “a tremendous honour” as he took the reins from Luke Wright, who stepped down earlier this year.
North, who was selected ahead of high-profile English candidates like former internationals Steven Finn, Darren Gough, and Nick Knight, won over the likes of England captain Ben Stokes, with whom he worked closely at Durham.
He will be the key figure on a selection panel including Stokes, white-ball skipper Harry Brook, and managing director Rob Key, as well as England performance chiefs.
“I am excited to contribute to the continued development of the England men’s teams,” said North, who played 21 Tests for Australia but also batted for six counties before settling in the north of England with his family.
“Having spent the past several years working closely within the county game, I have seen first-hand the strength and depth of talent across the domestic system.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with the counties in identifying, supporting, and selecting players who can thrive at an international level.”
North will be instrumental in selecting the side to play Australia in next year’s Ashes, adding he was “passionate” about shaping England’s cricketing future.
“Marcus stood out through his knowledge of the domestic game, his experience across different environments, and the relationships he has built throughout county cricket over a long period,” Key said.
“He also brings international pedigree from his time playing for Australia, and we believe his experience and understanding of the player pathway and high-performance environment will be a real asset.”
North’s appointment came as England’s new-look squad to face New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s next month was named, with opener Zak Crawley and number three Ollie Pope dropped and three uncapped players — opener Emilio Gay, wicketkeeper-batter James Rew and paceman Sonny Baker — drafted in.
Meanwhile, England has given Ollie Robinson a final chance to live up to his “world-class” potential, bringing back the 32-year-old following the 4-1 drubbing in Australia.
But none of those selections felt perhaps as significant as former England women’s wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor taking on a landmark role with the men’s team as their first female fielding coach.
Taylor, a World Cup winner in 2017 and once hailed by Adam Gilchrist as the best wicketkeeper in the world regardless of gender, has been part of the coaching set-up for a couple of years, working as an assistant coach for the Lions in Australia under Andrew Flintoff.
AAP
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