Donald appointed as consultant

25 May 2007

Allan Donald

The ECB have appointed former South African bowler Allan Donald to assist the England team’s fast bowling programme on a short-term consultancy basis from the lead-in to the third npower Test Match at Old Trafford through to the end of the NatWest ODI Series against the West Indies.

Donald, who has over 200 Test and one-day caps to his name, will work with the England squad and with other elite England qualified fast bowlers and will fall under the direction of England head coach, Peter Moores, and ECB fast bowling coach, Kevin Shine.

Donald, who made his interest in such a role clear earlier this month, has been appointed 24 hours after the England and Wales Cricket Board revealed the findings of Ken Schofield's report into a miserable winter.

He will join up with Moores’ side, working under fast bowling coach Shine, to aid preparations for the third npower Test against West Indies, and will stay with the squad until the end of the one-day international series against the same team in July.

Donald will be working beside Kevin Shine

“It’s one of my biggest dreams to work with a national team. South Africa would have been perfect but their current coach is staying on,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s another big challenge.

“I’ll sit down with Peter Moores and obviously discuss what he wants to do and what he wants out of it, I know he’s trying to change the culture a little bit too.

“When you look at the team and how they bowled against the old enemy, Australia, in the Ashes, the intensity was not quite right, from the outside looking in.

“Hopefully we’ll get things rolling, but first I need to sit down with the coach and see where he wants to go.

“I’ll be directed by Kevin (Shine) and working closely with him, not just in the England set-up but around the country.

“I’m looking forward to it, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

“Just for now it’s five weeks, starting next Saturday joining the guys just before the third Test, so it’s short-term but if things go well...I’m not in charge. I’m just delighted with the chance for five weeks to give my 10 pence worth.”