Steven Finn is the frontrunner to be England’s new selector after the former Middlesex and England bowler was persuaded to apply for the job after conversations with Rob Key and Brendon McCullum.
The position became vacant after Luke Wright stepped down at the end of the T20 World Cup in February and final interviews took place on Tuesday with four candidates in the running.
Finn originally had reservations about pursuing the position because it would mean giving up his media work on Test Match Special and with TNT Sports, as well as his role on the Middlesex Board. The 37-year-old, who has a young family, also had some concerns about exactly what the position involved, how much influence the successful candidate would have and how much travel would be involved.
Finn’s successful Test career included Ashes success in 2013. He is seen here celebrating the series victory over Australia with Chris Woakes Gareth Copley/Getty Images
However, it is understood that he has been reassured that he can mould the role to suit him and that he would have a significant voice in the decision-making process. There has also been some wiggle room in the salary and there is likely to be an increase in the £150,000-a-year paid to Wright.
A final decision is yet to be made by the ECB. It is looking for someone who fills very specific criteria and although it received about 80 applications originally, it is understood that most of them did not meet enough of those criteria. As a result there were about ten serious candidates whittled down to four for final interviews.
Darren Gough, the former England fast bowler and Yorkshire director of cricket, is one and Marcus North, Durham’s director of cricket, is understood to be another. However, Finn is the most appealing candidate because he retired from cricket relatively recently and has extensive knowledge of county and international cricket having played both.
He also understands the county pathway and academy systems and talent identification. He would also be comfortable explaining selection decisions to the media and has the respect of players both in the England set-up and among the counties.
There may be some scope for Finn, flanked by Phil Tufnell and Jonathan Agnew, to continue with his commentating role in some competitions Gareth Copley – ECB/ECB via Getty Images
Finn has the backing of McCullum, the head coach, and knows Key, the managing director of men’s cricket, well from their playing days — their county careers overlapped — and working in the media together. Ultimately the appointment is the decision of Key and senior ECB officials including Richard Gould, the chief executive.
The successful candidate would sit on the main selection panel alongside Key, McCullum, the captain (either Ben Stokes for Tests or Harry Brook for white-ball games), the ECB’s talent identification lead, David Court, and the ECB’s head of elite performance, Ed Barney. They would also be part of the selection panels deciding England Lions and under-19 teams working with Andrew Flintoff, the Lions head coach, and Michael Yardy, the under-19 head coach.
Although Finn will have to give up his role commentating on England with TMS, there may be some scope for him to continue commentating on tournaments that do not involve England. Lydia Greenway, the England women’s selector, had to give up her role with Sky Sports when she took that job but still does some commentary work on overseas franchise tournaments.
The England men’s squad for the first Test against New Zealand, which begins on June 4 at Lord’s, will be selected in a little over two weeks’ time so it is unlikely, although not impossible, that contracts and terms with the successful candidate will be in place by then.
Finn played 36 Tests, 69 ODIs and 21 T20s for England and the job specification stated the need for international experience. He retired in 2023 after a persistent knee injury forced him to end an 18-year career for Middlesex, Sussex and England.