Former England cricketer Rob Key has been appointed as the managing director of the England Men’s Cricket Team.
Key will take over from Sir Andrew Strauss, who held the role on an interim basis after the departure of Ashley Giles. Giles left the position after three years, following the debacle of the Ashes, where England lost 4-0 away in Australia.
Managing Director of the England Men’s Cricket Team
In his role, Key will be involved in formulating strategy behind the England men’s team and will also be a part of the High Performance Review, which is set to begin shortly.
“It is an absolute honour to take up this role. The chance to have an impact and make a difference is an opportunity given to very few and I will give it everything I have to try shape the next great era of English Men’s cricket,” Key said.
“I have absolutely loved my time at Sky and I could never have imagined leaving were it not for this incredible opportunity. I’d like to personally thank Bryan Henderson and everyone in the team for their help and support.
“Although at this current moment it has been a challenging time in English cricket, I also think it’s as exciting a time as I can remember. With two of our teams near or at the top of the world rankings and an undoubted amount of talent in our game, I hope to try and bring everyone along for the ride so we can all help take English Men’s cricket to new heights across all formats,” he added.
Key, who made his first-class debut in April 1998 against Middlesex, went on to amass 19.419 runs at an average of 40.45. He captained Kent and powered the side to a second division championship title in 2010.
He also went on to play 15 Tests for his country and notched up his highest Test score of 221 against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2004. He also played six limited-overs games for England.
ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said “Following a thorough recruitment process, Rob stood out in a very competitive field. His passion and knowledge of the game at domestic and international level is outstanding.
He is a proven leader and combines an approachable nature with fresh original thinking and resilience which will stand him in good stead. He will bring a lot to the role and I am sure players and staff alike will enjoy working with Rob. I have no doubt he will relish the challenge before us”.
“I’d like to thank Andrew for agreeing to step back into the role on an interim basis. To have someone of his experience and skillset during the transition and recruitment process was invaluable. He remains a huge asset to English and Welsh Cricket.”
