Monday, April 10th, 2017

Worcs Keeper Cox Joins New-Look Team Of Pca County Representatives

Worcs Keeper Cox Joins 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.

Mitchell said:“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.

“ From a personal development point of view its a great opportunity to demonstrate and develop skills such as organisation, networking, leadership and communication.

“Ben Cox is the perfect candidate for the PCA rep role, very well respected within the dressing room and although still relatively young in age has a vast amount of experience in cricket and good knowledge of current affairs within the game.”

Retirements and changes of clubs 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.

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 Player of the Year and 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.

PCA Chief Executive David Leatherdale said: "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.

"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 ongoing 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."