Hurry to oversee England Development Programme with Brandon heading up Sports Science and Medicine team
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced two new appointments at the National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough University.
Andy Hurry, who is currently Director of High Performance at Somerset CCC, has been appointed as the new Head of the England Development Programme (EDP).
The 49-year-old was previously Somerset’s coach from 2006-2013 – a period which saw the county become a major force in the domestic game – twice finishing runners up in the LV=County Championship and appearing in two Lord’s One-Day finals and four consecutive T20 Finals Days.
A former Royal Marines fitness instructor, Hurry was seconded to the England management team for England’s ODI and T20 series against Pakistan in UAE two years ago.
In his new role, he will oversee the England talent development programme. This will include working with the England Under 19s team and the wider network of cricket academies and county coaches to help ensure a flow of talented young players into the First Class game and senior England squads.
Raph Brandon, who is currently the English Institute of Sport’s (EIS) Director of Performance Solutions, succeeds Michael Bourne as Head of Sport Science and Medicine. Bourne is leaving ECB to take up a position as Head of Performance Advisors with UK Sport.
Brandon was previously the EIS’s Head of Service and has spent more than a decade with the organisation which he first joined as a Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2002.
He led the 40-strong Strength and Conditioning team which supported Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics and has worked closely with leading British athletes such as 400 metre runner Christine Ohuruogu and snowboarder Jenny Jones.
As well as providing extensive support to UK Athletics through his work for EIS, he has also acted as a consultant to the science and medicine teams at Chelsea F.C and Harlequins RFC.
ECB’s Managing Director – England Cricket Paul Downton said: “We believe Andy’s in-depth understanding of what it takes to succeed in the professional game and his ability to bring the very best out of teams and players will be a huge asset to the EDP.
“This is a new position which reflects the importance we place on developing talent and our desire to fully integrate the work of County Academies with the existing programmes for age-group cricketers in place at the NCPC.
“Raph has a proven track record of success in supporting world-leading teams and athletes and we are delighted to have secured an individual with his outstanding leadership skills and technical expertise.
“We wish Michael well in his new post with UK Sport and thank him for the very significant contribution he has made to improving sports science and medicine provision across all our national squads and the wider county game.”
