Essex appoint Chris Silverwood as head coach
Thursday 10 December 2015 11:15, UK
Essex have appointed former Yorkshire and England fast bowler Chris Silverwood as the club's new head coach on a permanent basis.
Silverwood took temporary charge when Paul Grayson left Chelmsford in September, and he led them to third place in Division Two.
Chief executive Derek Bowden said. "Chris Silverwood is a tremendous young coach with the vision, passion and dedication that this club deserves.
"His work with the England Lions this month, alongside his time spent with other ECB development squads over the past few years, demonstrates how highly regarded he is in the game of cricket. We are delighted that Chris will be leading the side into the 2016 season."
"In an application process which has left no stone unturned, we feel we have found the perfect candidate.
"We had five shortlisted candidates, who we interviewed, and each made outstanding presentations. Chris' presentation, however, was truly exceptional.
"We were all incredibly excited about the vision Chris has for the club, and where he feels we should be heading, both on and off the field."
Silverwood played 184 first-class matches for Yorkshire, Middlesex and Essex, taking 577 wickets at an average of 27.41. He played in six Test matches and seven ODIs for England.
He has been assistant head coach at the club since January 2014.
He said: "I am absolutely over the moon. I made my intentions clear at the end of the summer, and I am delighted to get the opportunity to do the job.
"I passionately want to see Essex be successful. There were some big names on the panel, and to know I've got the support of those guys is immense. There was so much knowledge sat around that table, and to have them pick me out is fantastic.
"We are determined to move the club forward, and move on from last season. This is a fresh start, and that is shown with the changes we have already made to our pre-season programme."
