Alleyne rejoins county to help out Harvey

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S former captain and head coach Mark Alleyne is returning to the club as part of Ian Harvey’s coaching team.

Alleyne, 52, captained Gloucestershire to nine trophies and a County Championship promotion in seven years, starting with a Benson & Hedges Super Cup win in 1999, and won 10 one-day international caps for England.

He was the club’s player-coach and head coach from 2004 to 2007 and is now assistant director of sport at Marlborough College.

Alleyne, the club’s highest run-scorer and wicket-taker in List-a cricket, said: “I am really happy to get involved and help Harvs and the club for the 2021 season.

“It is an exciting time for sport generally, and cricket in particular, with a full season in prospect for the players, and it is a great time for the club, who are operating on the back of a couple of good years and looking to push on even further.

“I have a long working association with Ian Harvey and I love everything about his approach to the game.

“I am thrilled to get the call from him and be asked to help support him in his new role, and I am looking forward to working with the coaching team at the club in the months ahead.”

Harvey said: “Having Mark back at the club with what he’s done in his career as a player and as a coach will be awesome for the players.

“We obviously worked well together on the field, and I know we both have our own ideas about what he can offer the team, so I am hopeful that we can have a fruitful coaching relationship, too.

“Mark will work quite a bit with the first team and his knowledge and all those years of captaining a successful team will be hugely beneficial for our team, especially Chris Dent.

“He’ll also spend time with the second XI, and that will be an invaluable experience for the academy players learning the game.”

Alleyne will be a part of the coaching set-up for the 2021 season and will also fulfil his duties at Marlborough College.