County Cricket Round-Up - 31st January

County Cricket Round-Up - 31st January

Warwickshire's coaching set-up is very much a home-grown affair, with Brown, Welch and Frost all former Warwickshire cricketers.

©Action Images / Steve Paston

Former England, Scotland and Warwickshire all-rounder Dougie Brown has beaten off competition from the likes of Graeme Welch and Ottis Gibson to be appointed Warwickshire’s new Director of Cricket.

The appointment of Brown - Warwickshire’s assistant coach of the past four years - ends months of speculation that began when Ashley Giles told of his intention to quit in order to coach England’s limited-overs sides.

Commenting on the news Colin Povey, Chief Executive said: “After a thorough search and assessment process, undertaken to assess the relative merits of the internal and external candidates, I am delighted by Dougie’s appointment. It will provide continuity after a successful 2012 in which we won the LV= County Championship title and ensure that the club’s established cricket policies and processes remain in place. Dougie knows the club and the current crop of players as well as anyone, so he is well placed to take the squad forward.”

Brown emerged as the early favourite for the role alongside bowling coach Welch, but Warwickshire were swamped with applications from around the world, including from West Indies coach Ottis Gibson, ECB Performance Director David Parsons and former New Zealand coach Andy Moles.

As consolation for missing out on the main prize, Welch has been promoted and will be Brown’s deputy, with former Warwickshire wicket-keeper Tony Frost becoming batting and second XI coach.

Warwickshire Chairman Norman Gascoigne, said: “I am pleased we have been able to make an appointment well ahead of the new season. Preparations for the new campaign are already in hand, but I am sure Dougie’s appointment will give these added impetus.” 

Brown added: “It is a real honour for me to be given this opportunity to lead Warwickshire Cricket with the strong coaching support of Graeme Welch and Tony Frost. As a club and as a squad we are in a good place at the moment but we are very determined to deliver sustained success on the pitch. This will only be achieved if we keep working hard, stick together and perform consistently. 

“Last year’s success is now just that - as Champions every other team will be looking to take our scalp so we need to be better prepared than ever. I am looking forward to our pre-season camp in Barbados and the fixture versus MCC in Abu Dhabi then we must hit the ground running.”

County Cricket News In Brief:
Nottinghamshire fast-bowler Ajmal Shahzad is among a clutch of county players of Asian heritage who are understood to be considering playing in the inaugural Pakistan Super League (PSL), a franchise-based Twenty20 tournament, according to ESPNcricinfo. Others, whose participation is less likely, but are believed to have expressed an interest, include Lancashire paceman Kabir Ali, Worcestershire all-rounder Moeen Ali and former Gloucestershire batsman Kadeer Ali.

Derbyshire are sending seven of their squad to Pune’s international cricket centre on 5th February. Batsmen Dan Redfern and Wayne Madsen will join seam-bowlers Mark Turner and Tony Palladino, wicket-keepers Tom Poynton and Richard Johnson, and left-arm spinner Tom Knight at the 11-day spin-bowling clinic. Last January, six Derbyshire players attended the same clinic ahead of their successful 2012 season.

Local employment specialists BrightonandHoveJobs.com have bought the naming rights to County Ground at Hove. Sussex’s home ground will, for the next three seasons, be officially known as The BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground. The company sponsored Sussex’s hospitality suite last summer.

The ECB has announced a loan scheme worth £1 million, which will be available to all 18 first-class counties. All but five of the counties have submitted business plans and will receive the money shortly with the rest expected to follow suit during the summer. According to the ECB: “The loans have been approved in return for meeting key strategic targets relating to stadia and facilities, customer relations, community programmes and business operations.” The ECB Board also approved a package of £420,000 to help cricket clubs hit hardest by flooding caused by the recent wet weather.

© Cricket World 2013