The Royal London One-Day Cup begins tomorrow (Thursday) with places again on offer in the North-South Series – and Andrew Strauss, the director, England cricket, has added an incentive for the competition’s most successful homegrown coach.
The top four England-qualified players from both the North and South Groups in the Professional Cricketers’ Association Most Valuable Player Rankings will again earn automatic places in the 13-man squads for the 2018 North-South Series – when the North will be aiming to make amends for a 3-0 whitewash inflicted by the South in the first series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
And the link between the Royal London One-Day Cup and the North-South Series will be strengthened by the guarantee of an invitation to a member of the coaching staff of the winning team in the Lord’s final on Saturday July 1 to join the coaching staff of either the North or South team next winter.
“One of our aims in introducing the North-South Series, with a primary focus on the 2019 World Cup, was to recognise the link between the England ODI team and the Royal London One-Day Cup as our domestic 50-over competition,” said Strauss.
“Making four places in each of the North and South teams available to the best performers in the North and South groups through the PCA MVP Rankings added an extra incentive to county players in the Royal London last season.
“Of the players who qualified, Tim Bresnan set a great example even in a beaten North team – and Liam Dawson, who had earned one of the automatic places in the South squad, was named Man of the Series.
“After discussions with the England selectors, and the coaches who were involved in this year’s series, we were keen to continue on the same basis, with four places in each 13-man squad earned through Royal London performances, leaving the remaining nine to the selectors.
“But we also thought there was an opportunity to encourage and recognise the coaches in the domestic game. So the winners of the RLODC final at Lord’s on July 1 will be invited to nominate a coach to join the staff of either the North or South team in 2018.”
Details of the 2018 North-South Series are still being finalised, but it will again be a three-match series – with dates and venues to be confirmed as soon as possible, and coaching appointments to follow.