CHOP AND CHANGE

CRICKET Strauss axes chief in shake-up of selectors

ANDREW STRAUSS has reacted to England’s Ashes flop with a shake-up of the selection process.

Head national selector James Whitaker has been axed in the wake of a second successive winter drubbing, with Australia following on from a thumping by India in 2016-17.

The other members of the selection panel, Angus Fraser and Mick Newell, will have to reapply for selector’s roles.

Strauss, England’s director of cricket, announced the change from the current system to a three-person panel of new national selector, a full-time independent selector and head coach Trevor Bayliss.

Hub

The first two roles will be advertised next week with a view to having the new men in place in time for the Pakistan Test squad selections in mid-May.

County coaches will also send observations into an ECB central information hub.

“The new approach will allow us to see more players throughout the county game, more often, and simplify the selection process,” said Strauss.

“We will have a greater body of information, deeper insight into the talent we can pick and a better understanding of who to help develop across the redball and white-ball games.”

The shake-up comes after England’s ¬ from RODNEY WHITE in Hamilton

MAKING THEIR MARK: Mark Stoneman in nets and (inset) Andrew Strauss ® Test fortunes slumped badly overseas with 4-0 losses in successive winters. Opener Mark Stoneman is one player with a lot to do to nail down his place, whatever the selection...