Ryan Campbell has been appointed as the new director of cricket at Durham, succeeding Marcus North. Campbell, who has been with Durham for four years as head coach, now faces the challenge of finding his successor following North’s departure to join the England selection panel.
During his time as head coach, Campbell guided Durham to notable triumphs, including two promotions though also a relegation in the County Championship. This year, the team clinched the Division Two title, an achievement that marks Campbell’s tenure as a significant success. “The club will now take some time to review the men’s head coach position, with Ryan leading the search,” Durham shared in a recent statement. They assured members that updates on the new head coach appointment would follow conclusion of the process.
One of Campbell’s forthcoming responsibilities includes discussions regarding the future of Ben Stokes at the club. Stokes, whose central contract with England recently concluded, retired from international cricket in June. He contributed to Durham’s promotion by playing seven Championship matches and also participated in ten One-Day Cup fixtures this summer.
Reflecting on his coaching journey, Campbell expressed pride in developing talent like Test opener Emilio Gay. “The fans up here in the North East have been brilliant throughout,” Campbell said. “My family and I have properly settled here; this is home for us now. Moving into the director of cricket and high performance coaching role isn’t stepping back, it’s a chance to keep shaping the direction of this club, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tim Bostock, the club’s chief executive, underscored the significance of Campbell’s appointment, saying: “We are delighted to appoint Ryan as our new director of cricket and high-performance coaching at Durham Cricket. He has big shoes to fill in replacing Marcus North, but continuity was an important factor in making this decision alongside delivering our long-term vision for Durham Cricket.”
“Bostock further highlighted Campbell’s understanding of the region’s cricketing passion, adding, “Ryan, like Marcus, understands the passion for cricket in the North East and totally buys into producing outstanding cricketers who will bring success for Durham and of course England in the years to come. Ryan’s first objective will be to appoint his successor as our men’s high-performance coach along with myself and this process has already begun.”
