Marcus North named England Men's National Selector for 2026

Marcus North has been appointed as England Men's new National Selector, starting his role with oversight of domestic and international teams.

New selector appointment Marcus North, who has held the position of Durham's director of cricket since 2018, has been officially named as England Men's new National Selector. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed a 15-man squad for the first Test against New Zealand, which is scheduled to begin at Lord's on June 4. North, a left-handed batter from Western Australia, brings extensive experience from his playing career and leadership roles in English county cricket. ## Playing and coaching background North featured in 21 Test matches and two One Day Internationals during his international career. He scored two of his five Test centuries during the 2009 Ashes series. His domestic career spanned six different counties, where he gained valuable experience both as a player and later in leadership. In his new role, he will oversee English domestic cricket while working closely with England Men's red- and white-ball squads. ## Collaboration and responsibilities In his new position, North will work alongside key figures including England Men's Managing Director Rob Key, Performance Director Ed Barney, and Player Identification Lead David Court. His duties will include decisions on England Men's central contracts and management of the county scouting network. He will also partner with the ECB Science and Medicine team to handle player availability, workload management, and programme planning. ## North's statement on appointment North expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, saying, 'I am absolutely delighted to be appointed England Men's National Selector.' He described the role as a tremendous honour and highlighted his excitement to contribute to the ongoing development of England Men's teams. 'Having spent the past several years working closely within the county game, I have seen first-hand the strength and depth of talent across the domestic system,' he added. North also expressed his eagerness to collaborate with the performance team to build competitive squads. ## Gratitude for past support North reflected fondly on his time at Durham, stating, 'I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at Durham and would like to thank Tim Bostock for handing me the opportunity back in 2018.' He extended his thanks to the Board, players, staff, and supporters for their support over the past eight years. ## Selection process details North's appointment follows an extensive search for the successor to the previous National Selector. Rob Key emphasized the thoroughness of the selection process, noting the strength of candidates considered. Key highlighted North's credentials as ideal for the role, citing his deep knowledge of the domestic game and extensive experience in county cricket. ## Key's remarks on North's qualities Key praised North's understanding of the player pathway and high-performance environment, saying, 'Marcus stood out through his knowledge of the domestic game, his experience across different environments and the relationships he has built throughout county cricket over a long period of time.' He also noted North's international pedigree from his time playing for Australia, describing his experience as a valuable asset for England Men's cricket.