Warwickshire County Cricket Club has appointed James Thomas, currently performance services director at Manchester City Football Club, as their new performance director.
Thomas, who previously served as performance director at British Gymnastics, will take over from Gavin Larsen at Edgbaston in June.
This appointment follows a high-performance review by Warwickshire, which led to the departure of head coach Mark Robinson. Thomas will be responsible for the performance of Warwickshire men’s team, the women’s team (Bears), and the Birmingham Phoenix cricket teams.
Stuart Cain, Warwickshire’s chief executive, expressed confidence that Thomas’s expertise will help the club achieve great things.
Cain highlighted Thomas’s proven ability to build successful performance environments in both football and Olympic sports. He believes Thomas can bring valuable strategic experience to cricket, especially in developing world-class players and teams.
Cain noted the combination of Thomas’s expertise with the existing cricket leadership team’s extensive experience will be significant for the club’s future success.
Thomas’s experience in handling high-pressure situations and using data and analysis in player recruitment and development were also key factors in his appointment.
Cain also pointed out Thomas’s understanding of the global sports landscape, which is crucial as franchise cricket evolves.
Thomas will start in the summer but will spend time with the Warwickshire squads during pre-season.
Thomas stated his excitement about joining Warwickshire, praising the club’s ambition to build a high-performance environment and achieve long-term success. He looks forward to working with players and staff to reach extraordinary levels of performance.
