Coach, captain, players on Key’s long to-do list
IT WILL be fascinating to see how Rob Key handles his first appearance in front of the media as England managing director tomorrow. Will he be the Key we all know and love, a natural and eloquent communicator, or will he be a changed, more guarded ECB man in a suit? He has certainly had a busy start. Key could well announce his first appointment this week — the expected one of Ben Stokes as Test captain — while he has sounded out Gary Kirsten, Simon Katich and Ottis Gibson about their interest in becoming one of the two England coaches he is seeking, with Kirsten potentially in pole position. The former Kent captain and pundit has also made contact with Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson and is believed to be positive about them returning this summer — even though he spoke out in support of the move to leave them out of England’s West Indies tour on a Sky podcast ahead of the trip to the Caribbean. There is much to be decided and the clock is very much ticking ahead of England’s first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2.