ENGLAND AND WALES — England head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director of men's cricket Rob Key held a conference call with county cricket head coaches and directors on Wednesday in an effort to strengthen the relationship between the national team and the domestic game. The call also included ECB staff members Ed Barney, Troy Cooley and David Court, who covers player identification within the organization.

During the call, the ECB contingent outlined their requirements for future England and England Lions players. The England team management indicated it wants prospective international players to participate in the seven County Championship rounds before the first Test of the summer against New Zealand, which begins on June 4.

Key said he wants to improve relations between the national team and county cricket, a subject that came under scrutiny following this winter's Ashes defeat, in which England lost the Test series against Australia by four matches to one. ECB chief executive Richard Gould backed McCullum and Key this week.

Gareth Batty said last month that the pathway from county cricket to the Test team became unclear after McCullum and Key took charge in 2022. Paul Farbrace said that McCullum has no interest in the county game. Jacob Bethell was selected for the England team before he had scored a professional century, and spinner Shoaib Bashir was selected in 2024 after playing six first-class matches.

Mickey Arthur, a county coach, said Wednesday's call provided useful direction. "We got some clarity on their aims and their ambitions, what their short-term goal is now and how they're looking to achieve it," Arthur said.

England captain Ben Stokes said the upcoming County Championship schedule represented an opportunity for players seeking international selection. "I hope they're giving themselves the best chance of coming up for selection when we get together to do that," Stokes said.

Cooley returned to the ECB as men's pace bowling lead. The organization is also in the process of appointing a national selector to replace Luke Wright, who stood down from the role earlier this year.

Several England players are set to feature in the opening round of the County Championship on Friday. Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith are scheduled to play for Surrey against Warwickshire, Durham bowler Matthew Potts will face Kent batter Zak Crawley at Chester-le-Street, and Bashir is in line to make his debut for Derbyshire against Worcestershire.