Cricket Ireland (CI) has announced the appointment of Graeme West as their new Director of High Performance, a pivotal role as Ireland aims to further establish itself as a prominent cricketing nation. West, who currently serves as the high-performance manager for Cricket West Indies (CWI), will officially take on his new role with Cricket Ireland next month.
West brings a wealth of experience to the position, having worked with CWI since 2012. His tenure in the Caribbean saw him working closely with emerging talent from across the region. Notably, West was the coach of the West Indies U-19 team that won the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup, a major milestone in his career. His work with CWI included managing the U-19 and ‘A’ teams, setting up academy programs, and creating a comprehensive coaching structure aimed at nurturing future stars. His leadership in building these development pathways is expected to play a similar role in Irish cricket’s high-performance system.
Prior to his time with CWI, West spent five years with the Middlesex Academy, where he coached several Ireland internationals, including Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie, Andrew Poynter, and Stuart Poynter. Though West has not played top-flight cricket, he holds a prestigious Level 4 coaching qualification from the ECB, further cementing his credentials for this role.
In a statement, West expressed his excitement about joining Cricket Ireland at a pivotal time. “I am delighted to be joining Cricket Ireland as the organisation continues to grow and strengthen,” West said. “The Strategic Plan for 2024-27 is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to applying my experience and philosophy to the wealth of talent and expertise that has been assembled as we further establish Ireland as a major cricketing nation.”
Warren Deutrom, CEO of Cricket Ireland, highlighted West’s experience and leadership skills as key factors in his selection for the role. “When we set out to create and recruit for the role, the profile, initiative, and experience that Graeme possesses is exactly what we were looking for,” Deutrom said. “We knew that in order to be successful in this new role, the candidate required leadership experience, exceptional people skills, and the ability to be a mentor as much as a manager. In Graeme, we believe we have found that candidate.”
Deutrom also noted that this appointment is part of a larger strategy to make Ireland a “fit-for-purpose Full Member” of the ICC, emphasizing that the scale and scope of CI’s operations have grown significantly since they gained Full Member status in 2017.
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Ireland’s Upcoming Fixtures
As West prepares to begin his tenure, both the senior men’s and women’s teams have busy schedules. The men’s team is gearing up for a white-ball tour of the UAE, where they will face South Africa later this month. Meanwhile, the Ireland Women’s team is set to host England for three ODIs and two T20Is, starting this Saturday.
West’s appointment marks a significant step forward for Cricket Ireland as they continue to strengthen their high-performance setup and push for consistent competitiveness on the global stage.
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