Otago Cricket's staff will expand in July with the appointment of Craig Radford to the newly created position of Cricket Development Manager.

The role, which has been conceived by New Zealand Cricket with each of the six Major Associations making appointments, will be to forge a strong relationship at district, club and high school level.

Otago Cricket's chief executive Graeme Elliott said Radford's initial focus will be to ensure clubs have the correct mechanisms to successfully integrate high school leavers into their structure and then retain them.

Mr Radford has a long association with the Otago and Dunedin Cricket Associations, having served both for 15 years. He is a former Otago delegate on the New Zealand Junior Board, has a level two coaching qualification and has spent many years coaching at school level.

Dunedin born and bred and still a resident of the city, Mr Radford will leave his current position of General Manager/Dean of the Health, Science and Technology Faculty at the Universal College of Learning in Palmerston North to take up his new role in mid-July.

© CricInfo