England are preparing to appoint former Australia Test cricketer Marcus North as a national selector, according to early reports. The 46-year-old, who played 21 Tests for Australia, has been chosen after final interviews this week, though the England and Wales Cricket Board has not yet confirmed the move. If appointed, North would be the first non-English selector for the men’s team.
North has long been embedded in the English domestic game and has served as Durham’s director of cricket since 2018, one of six counties he represented during his first-class career. In that role he has worked closely with England Test captain Ben Stokes. The appointment would see North replace Luke Wright, who left the role after more than three years; Wright’s departure was described as a personal decision and not a response to England’s recent Ashes series result.
The selector position sits within a broader selection group that includes head coach Brendon McCullum, director of cricket Rob Key, and the Test and limited-overs captains, currently Ben Stokes and Harry Brook. Performance director Ed Barney and head of player identification David Court also contribute to selection discussions. As a selector, North would help pick England squads, have some input on final XIs, oversee England Lions selection, liaise with counties and lead a scouting team.
Under McCullum, England have occasionally prioritised players with perceived international attributes over domestic form, and North is expected to bring additional balance to selection decisions. He may have limited involvement in naming the squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s starting on 4 June; that squad is due to be announced in the week beginning 18 May, with a training camp at Loughborough beginning on 25 May.
England are also likely to look for a new opening batter following the heavy Ashes loss and the expected replacement of Zak Crawley. Durham’s Emilio Gay and Somerset’s James Rew have been mentioned among leading contenders for selection in the first Test. The panel will also consider the frontline spinner and the seam options to strengthen the fast-bowling group.
The ECB received about 80 applications when it opened the role in April. Candidates were narrowed after initial discussions and a shortlist attended final interviews this week. In its recruitment materials the ECB sought applicants with significant professional experience and deep knowledge of international and first-class cricket, familiarity with emerging players and the county network, demonstrable talent-identification skills, a strong grasp of data and analytics in cricket, and the ability to manage relationships with both international players and county personnel.