England make historical call with former Aussie batter named selection boss

Former Australian batter Marcus North has officially been appointed as England men’s national team selector.

The 46-year-old becomes the first foreigner to hold the role of picking England’s Test team.

His appointment comes alongside other changes in the England set-up, with former English wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor taking over as fielding coach.

North beat out other candidates in Steve Finn, Darren Gough and Nick Knight, with the former West Australia star now forming a selection panel with managing director Rob Key, Test captain Ben Stokes and white-ball captain Harry Brook.

While North is an Aussie, he’s lived in the UK for some time, having served as Durham’s coaching director since 2018, as well as playing First Class cricket for six different counties, and he spoke on how excited he was to take over from the departing Luke Wright.

"I am excited to contribute to the continued development of the England men's teams," North said.

"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."

Key expects North to be a real asset for English cricket after he clearly stood out during the selection process.

“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 will be involved in choosing all squads from youth to senior Test cricket and could have a big say when the Ashes next come around in England in 2027.