England: New ECB Coaching Role for Tomlins

ECB Media Release
6 November 1998



The England and Wales Cricket Board has appointed the former Middlesex and Gloucestershire batsman Keith Tomlins as its new National Coach (West Region).

Tomlins, 41, has been Middlesex County Cricket Club's Youth Coach for the past two seasons. A holder of the ECB's Advanced Coaching Certificate, he has also coached in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Capped by Middlesex in 1983, he retired from First Class Cricket in 1987 after scoring nearly 4,000 runs including five hundreds. After qualifying as a landscape architect, he subsequently played two seasons for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties Championship.

In his new role with the ECB's Technical Department, Tomlins will be responsible for identifying and developing the most talented cricketers in the West region and implementing the new five-stage Rover Cricket Coaching Initiative.

Educated at Durham University, Keith lives in Wiltshire and is currently completing a course in Coaching and Management Skills Development at Bradford University. He replaces Gordon Lord who has been promoted to the post of National Coaching Scheme Co-ordinator (Designate) and will take over from Bob Carter when he retires as National Coach next summer.

Keith Tomlins said: ``I'm sorry to leave Middlesex as I've enjoyed working with their youngsters and their elite performers. But this is a tremendous opportunity for me at the ECB and I'm relishing the challenge.''

Hugh Morris, the ECB's Technical Director, said: ``We are delighted to have secured Keith's services. He has done a tremendous job with Middlesex's youngsters and everyone at ECB is looking forward to working with him enormously.''

For further information contact:

Andrew Walpole,
ECB Media Relations Officer
phone: 0171 4321252


Source: CricInfo