Full Name

Christopher Eric Wilfred Silverwood

Born

March 05, 1975, Pontefract, Yorkshire

Age

49y 14d

Nicknames

Spoons, Silvers, Chubby

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Fast medium

Height

6ft 1in

Education

Garforth Comprehensive

After spending several seasons as Essex's bowling coach, Chris Silverwood wrought an immediate - and almost staggering - change in fortunes at Chelmsford on taking charge for the 2016 season. Following Paul Grayson's departure, Silverwood led Essex straight up as Division Two champions; but that achievement was topped 12 months later when the club claimed their first Championship title in 25 years. It was enough to tempt England, who appointed him as their new bowling coach in late 2017.

In just two years, Silverwood had won more silverware than Essex had managed in most of the preceding decade. He dared his charges to "dream big" and formed a strong partnership with the captain, Ryan ten Doeschate, as Essex won a hard-fought promotion race (with only one team going up due to a change in the Championship structure) to secure Division One cricket for the first time since 2010. Things only got better the following summer, as a team full of largely homegrown players went unbeaten through the season, the pennant secured with two games to spare amid joyous scenes - Essex's first title since the days of Gooch and Fletcher in 1992.

As a player, Silverwood was an excellent county seamer who fell just short of Test class. Wholehearted, zippy and with an unnerving bouncer that zeroed in on the batsman's head, his whirling action generated real pace - England bowling coach Bob Cottam once said he was faster than Allan Donald - but he lacked the consistency to trouble the best. As a Yorkshireman, Silverwood thrived on the helpful Headingley greentops, where his natural movement away from the right-hander was exaggerated.

He impressed on Test debut in Bulawayo in 1996-97, but then had to wait three years until his next chance, on England's tour of South Africa. Silverwood struggled there when the ball didn't swing, and despite plugging away for five wickets at Durban, dropped down the pecking order.

At the end of 2005 he left Yorkshire and moved to Middlesex. The move appeared to be justified when he took 63 wickets at 25.25 in 2006, but he struggled for form and also was sidelined by injuries, leading to him being released at the end of the 2009 season. Thereafter, he spent some time playing and coaching in Zimbabwe, with Mashonaland Eagles, before joining Essex.
ESPNcricinfo staff

Chris Silverwood Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAveBFSR100s50s4s6sCtSt
Tests67329107.257936.70003020
ODIs74017124.253450.00001000
FC1842434930758015.85--09--430
List A2021143710466113.58--04--320
T20s201276918*13.807690.78008040

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests69828444115/915/9140.363.2175.2010
ODIs7730624463/433/4340.664.7851.0000
FC184-29917158195777/93-27.413.1751.8-251
List A202-904064882595/285/2825.054.3034.9610
T20s2020438550142/222/2239.287.5331.2000
Chris Silverwood portrait

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Photos of Chris Silverwood

Chris Silverwood and Kusal Mendis at Sri Lanka's training session
The English coaches in the mix, Chris Silverwood and Jonathan Trott, check out the pitch
Mahela Jayawardene and Chris Silverwood oversee proceedings
Kusal Mendis makes a point to Chris Silverwood
Coaches' corner - Chris Silverwood and Rahul Dravid cross paths
Chris Silverwood and Dasun Shanaka have a chat