England and Wales Cricket Board appoints Ed Barney men's performance director as successor to Mo Bobat
ECB appoints Ed Barney as men's performance director; 41-year-old held similar role at England and Great Britain Hockey where he oversaw Olympic, Commonwealth and European success; Barney succeeds Mo Bobat, who will soon join IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore as director of cricket
Wednesday 20 December 2023 16:14, UK
The England and Wales Cricket Board has named Ed Barney as its new men's performance director with the 41-year-old moving over from a similar role in hockey.
Barney will succeed Mo Bobat who is to become director of cricket at Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore in March.
Barney previously worked with the ECB in talent identification between 2010 and 2013, while since joining England and Great Britain Hockey he has overseen a period of success.
The England women's team won Commonwealth Games gold in 2022, while the British women's squad took bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The England men's side reached third in the world rankings for the first time in 20 years before grabbing silver at the European Championships - their first medal at that level in 14 years.
Barney said: "The opportunity to return to the ECB was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.
"I'm looking forward to building on much of the exceptional work that is in place, whilst ensuring that the quality of our provision supports the most talented players to realise their potential, excel on the world stage and inspire the nation about everything cricket has to offer.
"It's been a real honour to lead the performance team at England and Great Britain Hockey over the past seven years. It has been very special to see many of the junior teams break through, whilst the senior programmes have excelled on the world stage with European, Commonwealth Games and Olympic medals."
ECB managing director of men's cricket Rob Key said: "The men's performance director is a vital role as we look to continually increase the depth of talent and prepare players for the rigours of international cricket.
"What is clear with Ed is that he has been able to do that at England and Great Britain Hockey, building world-class programmes that has left them in a better place than when he started, while his experience with the ECB makes him ready-made to build on the significant work we have already been doing."
