Rod Marsh to lead England's new National Academy

In a coup for the ECB, Rod Marsh will switch loyalties and take over England's new National Academy.

The 51-year-old former Australian wicket-keeper, who played 96 Tests between 1970 and 1984, was previously in charge of the Australian Academy in Adelaide for a decade.

With 355 Test victims, including a record 28 in the 1982/3 Ashes series, Marsh will move to the UK in September to take up the new post.

He will aim to improve the best British 19-23-year-olds in all aspects of the game.

In the last 15 years 27 Test players have been produced by the Australian Academy, including over half of the current Ashes tourists.