Ed Smith to Take on ECB Board Role After Stint as MCC President

Former England national selector Ed Smith joins the England and Wales Cricket Board as a non-executive director.

Former Selector Ed Smith Appointed to ECB Board Ed Smith, a cricketer who represented Middlesex and Kent and earned three Test caps, has been appointed to the England and Wales Cricket Board as a non-executive director. Smith's appointment to the ECB board will take effect on 1 October, coinciding with the end of his one-year term as MCC President. He previously served as England men's selector from 2018 to 2021, a period during which the team won the World Cup on home soil in 2019. The ECB has stated that Smith's role will involve scrutiny and challenge, focusing on the long-term strategy and governance of the game, including performance cricket. ## Smith to Bring Scrutiny and Challenge to ECB Role The ECB has emphasized that Smith's appointment will bring scrutiny and challenge to the board, with a focus on the long-term strategy and governance of the game. This comes after England's recent Ashes tour, during which the team's preparation, attitude, and professionalism were under intense scrutiny following a 4-1 thrashing. Smith's appointment is seen as an effort to strengthen the ECB's governance and strategy, particularly in the wake of the team's disappointing performance. ## Smith Replaces Baroness Zahida Manzoor on ECB Board Smith will be replacing Baroness Zahida Manzoor, who has completed her three-year term on the ECB board. England's international summer is set to begin with a women's white-ball series against New Zealand on 10 May, followed by the men's team facing the same opponents in the first Test on 4 June.