England national selector James Whitaker to step down in ECB overhaul

The England and Wales Cricket Board will introduce a new scouting system this season that provides information to a three-person selection panel

James Whitaker, left, with the former England captain Alastair Cook (Getty)

James Whitaker will end his role as England national selector at the end of this month as part of an overhaul to scouting, assessing and selecting players for international matches.

Whitaker has spent five years in the position, aided by Angus Fraser and Mick Newell, and a decade as selector, during which time England have claimed four Ashes series wins as well as landing their first global trophy at the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.

However, there have been a number of low moments, including a second successive miserable Ashes campaign Down Under while England have lost nine of their most recent 11 Tests overseas.

The England and Wales Cricket Board will introduce a new scouting system this season that provides information to a three-person selection panel, with the role of national selector to be advertised this week.

Fraser and Newell will remain in their roles as selectors until the new positions have been filled and can apply for the new vacancies.

Director of England Cricket Andrew Strauss said: “I want to express my personal gratitude to James, as well as the heartfelt thanks of the ECB, for his hard work and dedication over a number of years. His has been a critical role and one that he has fulfilled with distinction during a period where the game has evolved at domestic and international level.”

Strauss added: "The new approach will allow us to see more players throughout the county game, more often, and simplify the selection process. We will have a greater body of information, deeper insight into the talent we can pick and a better understanding of who to help develop across the red-ball and white-ball games.

"Our new national selector will coordinate with a full-time England selector, who will be appointed by the national selector, and the England head coach to ensure that we are scouting players throughout the pathway for England's current and future needs.

"Clearly, we are looking for a person who is an excellent judge of talent and character and has experience in both talent identification and the international game."

Whitaker said: "I am very proud of what the team has achieved and will always treasure the memory of those four different Ashes series wins and our first ever victory in an ICC global event. I have been involved for a decade now and it feels that the time is right, with this new approach, for me to move on."

PA