LONDON, Jan 18: Geoff Miller has beaten David Graveney to the job of national selector for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), it was announced on Friday.

In a restructuring of the game by the ECB, Graveney, who had been chairman of selectors since 1997, will no longer have a direct role with the England set-up and instead will work with emerging county talent as performance manager.

Ashes-winning spinner Ashley Giles and James Whitaker will form the new four-man selection panel with former England, Derbyshire and Essex all rounder Miller and England head coach Peter Moores.

Giles retired from the game last year having played 54 Tests for England. He will combine his duties with Warwickshire where he is director of cricket.

The changes follow recommendations made by the England Cricket Review Group headed by Ken Schofield last year in the aftermath of England’s drubbing in Australia.

Miller, who has been part of the selection panel since 2000, will start work immediately and join up with the England one-day squad in New Zealand.

Graveney said he was disappointed with the decision but wished Miller well.

“It’s a terrific opportunity for Geoff and I would like to congratulate him on his appointment,” he stated. “I do acknowledge that our one-day form has been inconsistent but I feel that the team is going in the right direction.”

Hugh Morris, managing director of England Cricket, who made the appointments together with Amiss and chief executive David Collier, said: “Geoff is the ideal person to take on this new and important role of national selector.

“He has played at the highest level, possesses in-depth knowledge of the domestic game and as a member of the selection panel for the past seven years he has extensive experience of the selection process.” —Reuters