DAVID GRAVENEY has emerged to challenge Ray Illingworth as chairman of the England cricket selectors. County champions Warwickshire are believed to be behind the Graveney nomination because they feel the time is right for change.
Today is the deadline set by Lord's for nominations, which will be followed by a postal ballot before the end of his month.
England's dismal showing in the World Cup, plus their 1-0 Test series defeat in South Africa earlier this winter, has persuaded some county committees to seek a new start. Former Gloucestershire captain Graveney is seen as the sort of level-headed character needed to front things up.
Graveney (43) was an England selector last year and is currently secretary of the Cricketers' Association. If chosen he is likely to favour the appointment of a team manager with day-to-day responsibility, plus the use of more specialist coaches and motivators.
His Warwickshire-led supporters do not feel his players' union commitments represent a conflict of interest - in fact, they believe his close ties with the game and the players to be a plus.
His age, and his reputation as a steady character and a good judge, have also persuaded them he is the right candidate to take on Illingworth (63), who has been nominated again by Yorkshire and by at least one other county.
But there is still a substantial body of support among England's 8 first-class counties for Illingworth.
England's winter tour manager John Barclay, and England A manager John Emburey, are other names that have been considered in county circles.
Meanwhile, Illingworth's position as England team manager is due to be discussed by the TCCB's executive committee on March 26th. Whether he wins the chairman's vote or not, though, it is doubtful that the woman executive will pass up the opportunity to ease into that position someone younger like Lancashire's David Lloyd or former England captain Emburey.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)