MITCHELL WELCOMES NEW-LOOK TEAM OF PCA COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES Worcestershire wicketkeeper Ben Cox has become the tenth new county PCA Representative to be elected this year. Cox succeeds Daryl Mitchell who has stepped down after nine years as Worcestershire’s PCA Representative following his election as the Association’s new chairman in February after a ballot of all current county cricketers. ” The PCA Representative role is an extremely important one. You are the mouth piece for your dressing room, responsible for communicating PCA issues to your county members, providing feedback and communicating club issues back to the PCA,” Mitchell said. ” From a personal development point of view it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate and develop skills such as organisation, networking, leadership and communication.” Retirements and player movements have led to nine more changes in PCA Representatives around the country with Ruaidhri Smith and Andrew Salter taking over from former PCA Chairman Mark Wallace in a joint role at Glamorgan. Wallace retired from playing last month after he was appointed the new PCA Personal Development and Welfare Manager for the South West. Jamie Porter has been elected the new PCA Representative at Essex following the release of Jaik Mickleburgh and the retirement through injury of Tom Smith has seen Karl Brown take on the PCA duties at Lancashire. All-rounder Ben Raine has succeeded Niall O’Brien at Leicestershire with Chris Rushworth replacing Mark Stoneman, who has joined Surrey, at Durham and seamer Oliver Hannon-Dalby succeeding Sussex recruit Laurie Evans at Warwickshire. {{hannon-dalby2017}} Kent’s decision to release fast bowler David Griffiths at the end of last season has also seen a change of PCA Representative at Canterbury with off-spinner Adam Riley taking over. Sussex opening batsman Chris Nash has stepped down from his PCA role in a busy Testimonial year and has been succeeded by rookie seamer Abi Sakande and James Harris has replaced Tim Murtagh as Middlesex’s new representative. The role of PCA Representative is an important one and provides a crucial link between players across the country and PCA staff by communicating club issues and information on developments in the game to and from their respective dressing rooms. PCA Representatives also help to promote PCA initiatives, ensure that their team-mates vote for the NatWest Player of the Year and NatWest Young Player of the Year in the NatWest PCA Awards and respond to surveys on various aspects of PCA work and the state of domestic cricket. {{chris_rushworth2017}} “County Representatives help the flow of communication to and from dressing rooms across the country and they are key figures in the efficient functioning of the PCA,” said PCA Chief Executive David Leatherdale. “More than half of this year’s representatives are newcomers. We welcome them and look forward to their ideas and input. “We also thank our existing county reps for their continued support and the invaluable role they have played in the on-going discussions around the future structure of domestic cricket. “Being elected to represent the views of your colleagues is an accolade and an active involvement in the PCA can help develop skills that are useful in a career after cricket.” {{david_murphy2017}} PCA Representatives 2017: Derbyshire – Shiv Thakor Durham – Chris Rushworth* Essex – Jamie Porter* Glamorgan – Ruaidhri Smith* and Andrew Salter* Gloucestershire – Jack Taylor Hampshire – Chris Wood Kent – Adam Riley* Lancashire – Karl Brown* Leicestershire – Ben Raine* Middlesex – James Harris* Northamptonshire – David Murphy Nottinghamshire – Steven Mullaney Somerset – Peter Trego Surrey – Stuart Meaker Sussex – Abi Sakande* Warwickshire – Oliver Hannon-Dalby* Worcestershire – Ben Cox* Yorkshire – Tim Bresnan England Women: Tammy Beaumont MCC Young Cricketers: To be elected *New appointment
