Richard Dawson is set to become the ECB’s Elite Performance Pathway Coach, bringing his tenure as Gloucestershire Cricket Head Coach to an end after six successful seasons with The Shire.
The 40-year-old Yorkshireman, who has led the development of the current crop of Gloucestershire players into a Division One side that can challenge for trophies in all formats, will now look to nurture talent across England and Wales working closely with ECB Performance Director Mo Bobat.
Gloucestershire CEO Will Brown spoke very highly of Dawson: “Richard has been a fantastic coach to work with from the outset engendering a belief and excitement that has filtered into all areas of the Club. His dedication to building a positive and winning culture has been evident throughout his time in Bristol and the impact he made will be felt long after he is gone.
“Richard has taken huge pride in his role as Head Coach, working tirelessly to get the best out of himself and the players. His likeable easy-going personality, coupled with his commitment to Gloucestershire, garnered respect from the playing squad and meant he had a great rapport with the wider Club staff.
“He will be missed by players, staff and supporters alike, but we are all proud and pleased for Richard and glad that the opportunities provided for him at Gloucestershire have enabled this gateway to national recognition.”
Richard Dawson said: “It has been a huge privilege to have been the Head Coach of Gloucestershire Cricket since 2015.
“There were highs and lows on the pitch but winning the Royal London One-Day Cup in 2015 and gaining promotion to Division One of the County Championship in 2019 were highlights on the pitch, as was seeing a Gloucestershire player breaking into the England set up last year.
Dawson will remain as part of the Gloucestershire setup until the end of March before beginning his role as Elite Performance Pathway Coach in mid-April.
Photo: Gloucestershire CCC / Martin Bennett