Former Kent and England batsman Ed Smith has been announced as national selector for England.

The 40-year-old replaces James Whitaker, who left the position in March after five years in the role.

Smith played three Test matches for England and made 350 appearances in county cricket for both Kent and Middlesex.

He was at Kent from 1996 to 2004 when he joined Middlesex until he retired in 2008.

Smith said: "I’m delighted to take on the role of National Selector. I was very happy with what I was doing previously but the chance to be at the forefront of this development in English cricket was too good an opportunity to turn down.

"Selection and Talent ID have always fascinated me and I've explored extensively how they are evolving.

"It is an exciting time for England cricket. I'm very much looking forward to working with Trevor, Joe and Eoin, as we work towards ensuring that the talent in English cricket feeds into consistent performances in all formats of the game."

Smith has been a regular commentator on BBC's Test Match Special since 2012 and also writes a column in the New Statesman.

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