One-Day Cup-winning coach to be invited to North v South 2018 series
Wednesday 26th April 2017
The Royal London One-Day Cup begins tomorrow (Thursday) with places again on offer in the North-South Series – and Andrew Strauss, the director, England cricket, has added an incentive for the competition’s most successful homegrown coach.
The top four England-qualified players from both the North and South Groups in the Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player Rankings will again earn automatic places in the 13-man squads for the 2018 North-South Series – when the North will be aiming to make amends for a 3-0 whitewash inflicted by the South in the first series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
And the link between the Royal London One-Day Cup and the North-South Series will be strengthened by the guarantee of an invitation to a member of the coaching staff of the winning team in the Lord’s final on Saturday July 1 to join the coaching staff of either the North or South team next winter.
“One of our aims in introducing the North-South Series, with a primary focus on the 2019 World Cup, was to recognise the link between the England ODI team and the Royal London One-Day Cup as our domestic 50-over competition,” said Strauss.
“Making four places in each of the North and South teams available to the best performers in the North and South groups through the PCA MVP Rankings added an extra incentive to county players in the Royal London last season.
“After discussions with the England selectors, and the coaches who were involved in this year’s series, we were keen to continue on the same basis, with four places in each 13-man squad earned through Royal London performances, leaving the remaining nine to the selectors.
“But we also thought there was an opportunity to encourage and recognise the coaches in the domestic game. So the winners of the RLODC final at Lord’s on July 1 will be invited to nominate a coach to join the staff of either the North or South team in 2018.”
Daryl Mitchell, the Worcestershire opener who was elected chairman of the PCA in February, said: “Using the PCA MVP Rankings as a tool to help select players for the North-South Series was a huge success last season, giving players an extra incentive to perform well in the Royal London One-Day Cup, and the chance to impress the England coaches.
“Since they were launched in 2007 the PCA MVP Rankings have been avidly followed by players in county dressing rooms across the country as they provide a more rigorous analysis of player performance than traditional averages. The system was amended and improved last year, and having the carrot of North-South selection has added to its profile and appeal.”
Details of the 2018 North-South Series are still being finalised, but it will again be a three-match series – with dates and venues to be confirmed as soon as possible, and coaching appointments to follow.
The Royal London One-Day Cup has been brought forward to the first half of the season, which allows the majority of England’s one-day squad to play for their counties in the early stages and prepare for the Royal London One-Day Internationals against Ireland and South Africa, which are followed by the ICC Champions Trophy in June.