England promote from within as Mo Bobat named performance director
England have moved Mo Bobat up the ladder after the ECB announced the 36-year-old has risen through the ranks to assume the role of performance director.
For the last three years Bobat had been the governing body’s player identification lead but steps up to his new role after David Parsons vacated the position in July.
Bobat will work alongside new head coach Chris Silverwood and national selector Ed Smith to support the delivery of performance plans and selection strategy.
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Ashley Giles, managing director of men’s cricket, said: “The position of performance director is a critical post in the development of our long-term strategy for elite performance.
“Mo demonstrated through his knowledge and experience that he has the attributes to take us forward in this area.
“He will be responsible for identifying our highest potential players and leading programmes that will bridge the gap between county and international cricket, helping us to deliver successful, respected and inspiring England players and teams.
“The performance director will work closely with our network of counties to enhance the size and quality of our talent pool and ensuring that we’re jointly making decisions in each player’s best long-term interests.
“We have to develop a long-term strategy that identifies the best players in the country that can step up and excel in the international cricket arena. We will expose them to learn and perform in all conditions around the world.”
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In his former role, Bobat, who first joined the ECB in 2011, underpinned the methodical and diligent approach to talent identification at international level, which aimed to eradicate players selected on a whim.
Bobat said: “I am looking forward to working closely with both Chris Silverwood and Ed Smith, and in doing so, supporting the performance needs of our England teams and moving us closer to achieving our aim of being the most respected team in the world.
“Developing strong relationships with our counties to enhance the size and quality of our talent pool will be paramount. I aim to ensure that our highest potential players receive individualised support and international-specific experiences.”
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