Silverwood’s initial tenure at Essex saw the club embark on one of the most successful periods in its history. He oversaw their promotion from Division Two in 2016, an achievement that was surpassed the following summer by a first County Championship title in 25 years.
Although Silverwood moved on, initially as England bowling coach before replacing Trevor Bayliss as head coach in 2019, Essex continued to claim silverware under McGrath, who rose from assistant coach under Silverwood to guide the club to a championship. and a Blast double. for the Bob Willis Trophy.
“I am absolutely delighted to be returning to Essex,” Silverwood said. “It is a club that holds very special memories for me, with the success we enjoyed in 2016 and 2017, and it has been fantastic to see the success that Anthony McGrath has had in the intervening years.
“There is work to do in the team, but I am looking forward to the challenge ahead, with an emphasis on working hard to help develop our local players.
“Building on the work done by Mags, I am focused on getting the team to a point where we have strength in depth, with a strong core of our own local players. I am excited to get to work ensuring the transition is made. “as fluid as possible and that the team is in the best possible shape to compete on all fronts next summer.”
Silverwood’s time in charge of England was significantly affected by restrictions around tours caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and he left the role after a 4-0 Ashes defeat in 2021-22. He subsequently coached Sri Lanka for a two-year period and resigned after the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Jason Gallian, chairman of the Essex cricket committee, said: “We are delighted to announce the re-election of Chris, who was the standout candidate in a comprehensive recruitment process.
“We were clear throughout that we were focused on making the right decision, not just a quick one, and after this process, we firmly believe we have stuck to that and appointed the best candidate.
“I would like to take the opportunity to thank the cricket Committee, as well as Alastair Cook on the interview panel, who contributed significantly with their expertise.
“Having spoken to Chris, I know how motivated he is to make his mark in the coming years, and his desire is higher than ever to take on the role of director of cricket and lead the strategic side.
“Within that, he will play a huge role with a talented men’s first XI, and is focused on winning trophies with this club and growing the game across our region. Everyone welcomes Chris and we look forward to seeing him once again.” . around the Cloud County Ground and hopefully leading the team to success on the field.”
