Former England captain Michael Vaughan has slammed the England and Wales Cricket Board’s prolonged search for a new national selector, calling the situation “absurd.” The process to replace Luke Wright, who announced his resignation on January 22 and departed after the T20 World Cup concluded in March, is now in its final stages, with interviews conducted this week.
With four rounds of the County Championship already completed and England set to announce their squad for the first Test against New Zealand in two weeks, Vaughan voiced his frustration on the Stick to Cricket podcast. “It’s ridiculous how they’re announcing a selector so late,” he said. “I wanted the selector in place on April 1, out there watching matches, gathering information. Luke Wright quit after the Ashes in Australia—we all knew that. Four months is far too long to find someone.”
The ECB chief executive Richard Gould oversaw a review of the men’s national setup following England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat this winter. The review concluded shortly after the T20 World Cup, with managing director Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum retaining their roles. The job advertisement for the selector position was published on March 18, with applications open until April 17. Meanwhile, the ECB’s network of domestic scouts has remained active.
A new county insight group, comprising county coaches and ECB officials, was also established after the Ashes review. Former England bowlers Steven Finn and Darren Gough are among those linked to the selector role. The successful candidate will be involved across England’s player identification structure, including finalizing the XI for Tests and white-ball matches, selecting senior and Lions squads, liaising with counties, and leading the scouting team. Approximately 80 candidates applied for the position.
