Katich to coach the men's Manchester team in The Hundred

Former Australia batsman Simon Katich will coach the men’s Manchester-based team for the inaugural season of The Hundred.

Katich, 43, is the first coach to be confirmed for the eight-team cricket tournament, which begins in July 2020. He will be assisted by current Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple and assistant coach Mark Chilton.

He played 56 Tests for Australia, scoring more than 4,000 runs, before finishing his first-class career at Lancashire in 2013.

Katich brings a wealth of coaching experience having won back-to-back Caribbean Premier League titles with the Trinbago Knight Riders (2017 and 2018) while he has served as an assistant coach with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League since 2016.

He also captained the Perth Scorchers to their first Big Bash League title in 2014.

Katich said: “I am incredibly excited by the opportunity to lead the men's Manchester-based team in The Hundred, starting next year.

“This is a competition that is catching the eyes of the cricket world, in terms of the calibre of players and coaches it will attract, and I’m so excited to start planning and working as men's Head Coach for this new side.

“Having played at Emirates Old Trafford for two years, I know what a special place it is, and what an incredible cricket ground it has transformed into over the last decade. This competition is going to be a ground-breaking moment for cricket across the world, and I’m honoured to be part of it.”

Sanjay Patel, managing director of The Hundred, added: “We’ve been delighted by the interest from world class players and coaches who are excited to be part of The Hundred. Simon is a brilliant signing and a dynamic coach who will bring his cricketing knowledge and international experience to the men's Manchester team.”

Daniel Gidney, Chief Executive at Emirates Old Trafford, the host venue of the new Manchester-based team, said: “Paul Allott, Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, and I are delighted to have secured the services of Simon Katich as our men's Head Coach.

“We strongly believe that Simon is the right man to lead the new men's team at Emirates Old Trafford and his proven track record and experience set him apart as our number one candidate. Supported by Glen and Mark, we believe their knowledge of this ground and the English game will complement Simon’s tournament winning approach.”

The Hundred is set to provide sports fans with an exciting new 100-ball format with world-class players from England and around the world competing in men’s and women’s competitions.

The five-week tournament will be played at the height of summer and feature eight city-based teams from Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton and two in London (Lord’s and the Oval).

The men’s Player Draft is set to provide an historic first for British sport when it is staged on Sunday, October 20. It will be shown live by Sky Sports, with extensive coverage across the BBC.

Fans can register their interest in tickets and information from today via www.thehundred.com.