Queensland Cricket has today announced the appointment of three new Regional Cricket Managers as part of its ongoing commitment to further develop the game at grassroots level in this State.

Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Graham Dixon said a Board Meeting last night had approved new positions in Cairns and Mackay and the recruitment of a Maryborough-based RCM.

"These appointments mean that in just over five years, we have moved from having one full-time regionally-based development staff member to having seven full-time cricket managers employed regionally, with a further four positions in the metropolitan area," he said.

The new appointments are Brendan Wild (Far North Queensland, Cairns), Peter Blanchfield (Mackay/Whitsunday, Mackay) and Andrew Selff (Wide Bay, Maryborough) who join Steven Baker (North Queensland, Townsville), Vic Williams (Central Queensland, Gladstone), David Bannister (Darling Downs, Toowoomba) and Nev Paulsen (Ipswich/West Moreton, Ipswich).

Wild, 24, is a former first grade player with Sandgate-Redcliffe and Toombul who holds a Level II coaching certificate.

He has been involved with the Queensland Junior Cricket Association State championships and was junior director of cricket coaching at Redcliffe Leagues. He will work from the Sports House offices at Cazaly's in Cairns, with his region extending north of Cardwell. He will commence duties on September 10.

Blanchfield, 31, has a long history of coaching in Mackay, having been the coach of the Mackay junior representative team for the past six years and a coach at senior club level for the past two years.

A Level II coach, his duties will take in the new combined senior and junior cricket zone of Mackay/Whitsunday, extending from St Lawrence to Bowen and west to Clermont.

Blanchfield will be based at the Harrup Park Country Club and will commence duties on August 13.

Selff, 28, will take over the Wide Bay Regional Cricket Manager's role next month, replacing Richard McInnes who will take over as the Metropolitan North Coast RCM based at the Redcliffe Leagues Club.

Selff is a Level II coach and was previously the Frenchville Club coach in Rockhampton and a board member of the Rockhampton Cricket Association. He was also the regional development co-ordinator for Tennis Queensland.

Dixon said the appointments would continue Queensland Cricket's strong emphasis on improving cricket at the grassroots.

"We have already taken significant steps to reduce the cost of playing cricket in the State by agreeing to meet the costs of personal accident and injury insurance cover for registered players, officials, coaches and volunteers and public liability insurance cover for affiliated clubs and associations for next season," he said.

"The introduction of additional resources in regional areas will assist in areas such as junior development, coaching accreditation, elite programs, talent identification and specialist cricket initiatives like the Eddie Gilbert program for indigenous communities," Dixon said.

"It is pleasing to note that an area such as North Queensland now has two full-time managers to assist with the growth of cricket in the region," he said.

© 2001 Queensland Cricket