LONDON: Andrew Strauss has launched a performance review aimed at making England “the best in the world at all formats” within the next five years.

Strauss, a former England captain and director of cricket, is leading the investigation into English cricket alongside a wide range of experts.

While England are 50-over world champions and ranked second in T20 cricket, they are bottom of the World Test Championship, winning just one of their last 17 matches.

England will start a new era when they play their first Test under new captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendan McCullum against New Zealand at Lord’s from June 2.

But Strauss and company will consider whether the county cricket system properly prepares England players for the international stage.

“We want to set an ambitious and clear goal — to become the best in the world at all formats of the men’s game within the next five years,” Strauss wrote on the England and Wales Cricket Board website on Wednesday.

“We’re prepared to question everything we’re currently doing and ask ‘is there a better way of doing it?’ I make no apology for wanting to be bold. This includes looking outwards to see what we can learn from other sports. A wide range of experts are giving us their insight as part of this.

“I read a lot of speculation about the domestic competition structure. Of course, this is an important part of the picture, but it’s not the only part.

“The review is designed to look at the high performance system in its entirety, including the England men’s pathway and our high performance set-up,” he added.

Strauss wants proposals that can be voted on by September to give the counties and England time to prepare for any changes that could come into force ahead of the 2023 season.

Joining Strauss is Dave Brailsford, currently the director of sport at cycling team Ineos and a former performance director of British Cycling.

Former Football Association director of elite development Dan Ashworth will also give his input, alongside Manchester City’s performance director Simon Timson.

The England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of men’s cricket Rob Key is among the figures from within the sport who will be involved.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2022