Would be his first in a management position following seven post-playing yearsTwo candidates from outside cricket got to the final stages of the recruitment process that concluded with Rob Key emerging as the ECB's choice for new managing director. Key, 42, is to be unveiled in the coming days pending the successful conclusion of negotiations on financial terms for the role, his first in a management position following seven post-playing years as a television commentator. The fact that his first will be in what is English cricket's top job highlights the paucity of credible alternatives. Timson's appointment as performance director at Manchester City two years ago arguably discounted him for the ECB but it is understood individuals with similar abilities to prosper across different environments were not discouraged despite their lack of cricket-specific expertise. But then managing director Ashley Giles was keen on an Englishman and opted to promote Chris Silverwood from within.

Source: Daily Mail April 17, 2022 00:30 UTC