Rod Marsh appointed academy director

The ICC and Dubai Sports City (DSC) today announced the appointment of Rod Marsh as the Director of Coaching at the world's first ICC Global Cricket Academy.

Mr Marsh will take a lead role in the planning and development of cricket's international centre of excellence which is scheduled to be launched in 2007.

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said that Mr Marsh was the ideal candidate to help the ICC and Dubai Sports City realise the vision of the ICC Global Cricket Academy.

"In our discussions about a potential Director of Coaching for the ICC Global Cricket Academy, Rod Marsh came out top of the list and we are delighted that he has agreed to take up this new position," said Mr Speed.

"Rod's rich experience as a top class international player and highly-respected academy coach in England and Australia will be an invaluable asset to this exciting project."

Mr Marsh said that serving the wider interests of international cricket was a natural next step after working with the national academies in England and Australia.

"I have been very impressed with the concept of the ICC Global Cricket Academy and I am looking forward to helping the ICC and Dubai Sports City develop a world-class facility," said Mr Marsh.

"I am looking forward to working with players and coaches from around the world and, if we get this right, I believe it has tremendous potential to help a wide range of cricketers."

Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, Dubai Sports City partner and President of the UAE Cricket Board said: "At Dubai Sports City we are proud to be working with the best names in the world of sport; the appointment of Rodney Marsh is a further endorsement of this and we are confident that he will provide all the requisite skills and expertise to ensure that the world's first ever global cricket academy in Dubai Sports City is truly recognised as the centre of excellence in the cricketing world."

Mr Marsh will initially provide expert input into the design and construction phase of the project before taking a hands-on role in the running of the academy once it is launched in 2007.

The ICC Global Cricket Academy will be a focal point for the training and development of cricket players, coaches, umpires, curators and administrators.

The facilities will be available to a broad spectrum of cricketers in ICC member countries from juniors to full international teams, encompassing both men's and women's cricket.

It will be a foundation tenant of the innovative Dubai Sports City project, the world's first integrated sports city, that will see a multitude of sports brought together in a development of 50 million square feet.

The vision of Dubai Sports City has brought together world-class partners to create a destination that has the best of breed from all sports.

The ICC Global Cricket Academy joins leading names such as Manchester United Soccer Schools, a David Lloyd Tennis Academy and a Butch Harmon School of Golf that have already committed to this exciting development.