RICHARD Pybus, Cricket West Indies’ former director of cricket, has rejoined the regional governing body as High-Performance Director, CWI announced yesterday.

In this new role, Pybus will work alongside the Chairman of Selectors and all the technical coaches in the region to improve the high-performance programmes and standards within franchise cricket.

His role will also include, but not limited to standardising coaching and preparation for regional teams and overseeing a talent identification programme from the Under-19 level all the way to the WINDIES International level.

Pybus’ record with high-performance programmes is well established. He is the most successful South African franchise coach having won nine championships across all formats. The two-time South African Coach-of-the-Year was a member of a system that developed the likes of current South African captain Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and AB de Villiers.

The High-Performance programme aims to support the continued development of CWI’s regional franchise cricket and put systems in place to close the gap between regional franchise cricket and International cricket.

“I am delighted to be re-joining Cricket West Indies in this newly created role. I am looking forward to working with Jimmy Adams and the rest of the cricket department to improve standards within a system that I know well. My focus will be on developing our high-performance programmes and helping to identify and coach the most talented cricketers in the Caribbean,” he said.

Pybus’ appointment is for an initial term of two years.
In his previous role as Director of Cricket from October 2013 to December 2016, Pybus oversaw Windies victories in two ICC World T20s, an ICC Women’s World T20 and an ICC U-19 World Cup.

Along with International head coaching roles with Pakistan and Bangladesh, Pybus has coached extensively in South Africa for Border, Titans and Cape Cobras, as well as Middlesex CCC in England, at domestic cricket level.

He will be based at the CWI Headquarters in Antigua.