Mark Chilton appointed as Director of Cricket Performance
Lancashire Cricket appoints Mark Chilton as Director of Cricket Performance
Lancashire Cricket is delighted to announce that following a rigorous recruitment process, Mark Chilton has been appointed as the Club’s new Director of Cricket Performance. The search looked both within cricket and at individuals with relevant skill sets from outside the world of cricket, but Chilton, former Captain of the Club, was the outstanding candidate.
The 44-year-old will start with immediate effect and will take responsibility for all elite and pathway cricket at Lancashire Cricket, reporting directly into Chief Executive, Daniel Gidney.
Chilton, who moved into the role of Performance Director and Assistant Coach in November 2018, holds an ECB Level 4 coaching qualification, and also completed a Masters in Sporting Directorship, gaining a Distinction from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Educated at Manchester Grammar School and Durham University, Chilton went on to play almost 200 First Class matches for the Red Rose and since moving into the Lancashire Cricket coaching set-up has also gained a range of significant external experiences.
Chilton spent a season working as an assistant coach at Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash League in 2017 and has also spent time with England Rugby Union’s World Cup winning Head Coach, Sir Clive Woodward, and current England Football Manager, Gareth Southgate OBE.
Speaking after his appointment was confirmed, Mark Chilton said: “It’s an honour to be named as Director of Cricket Performance having been involved with Lancashire Cricket for over 20 years now, as a player and a coach.
“We’ve got a highly talented group of players, both male and female, with an experienced coaching set up working across Lancashire Cricket. This includes an exciting group of young players coming through the ranks in our age-group and Academy set ups, whilst recreational cricket in the North West continues to thrive.
“I will dedicate myself to this new opportunity and look forward to working with the Board, Executive Team and coaching staff at Emirates Old Trafford to write a new, successful chapter in the Club’s history.”
Chair Andy Anson added: “Mark will be a great addition to the Senior Management Team and I am delighted that he will be heading up the cricket side of the Club as we look ahead to next season and beyond.
“He has a wealth of knowledge and skill in both coaching and sports performance and he has used his role to hone his skill set over the last three years. Mark has studied the latest trends in sports science and understands the importance of data and analytics in sport. This will enable him to link together the relevant departments as we aim to improve continually and gain success on the field of play.”
Chief Executive, Daniel Gidney, added: “After completing a global search over the last three months, we are delighted to appoint Mark, who was the outstanding candidate for the role of Director of Cricket Performance.
“We had significant interest in the position, as expected, with a vast number of applications from across the world of cricket, as well as other high-performance sports.
“In addition to being responsible for all elite performance and pathway cricket at Emirates Old Trafford, Mark will work closely with the Lancashire Cricket Foundation to continue the work of aligning recreational cricket in the county and the age-group, pathway and Academy systems we have at the Club.”