Mark Thorburn replaces Tim Hancock as Gloucestershire's head of talent pathway

Thorburn has stepped in on an interim basis to fill the void left by Hancock, who left after five years in the post

Mark Thorburn has been appointed as Gloucestershire's head of talent pathway on an interim basis after Tim Hancock's departure last month.

Thorburn has been on the staff at Bristol for 16 years and most recently was the county's fast bowling coach and head of analysis, but he has stepped into the role vacated by Hancock after five years in the position.

"It is a great honour to have this opportunity as Gloucestershire have a rich history of developing their own players that have gone on to represent the club," he said. "And in recent times we have had David Payne and James Bracey go on to represent England.

"To be in a position where I can lead and influence players is really exciting. I'm particularly looking forward to getting the chance to support the lads in the pathway system and helping develop our coaches and staff."

Several products of the Gloucestershire pathway have blossomed over the last couple of seasons, with the Price brothers, Ollie and Tom, both enjoying a breakthrough campaign in 2022, while Ben Charlesworth has also impressed since making his debut in 2018. His younger brother, Luke, is also on the staff, while Ben Wells and Dom Goodman have also come through the system recently.

Thorburn's brief includes delving into – and developing – previously untapped pathways, working with local clubs and the ACE Programme, which launched in Bristol last year.

^{Tom and Ollie Price have both broken through this summer (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)}

"Mark has a vast all-round skill set and an intimate knowledge of the club which will stand him in good stead for the role," added Steve Snell, the county's performance director. "He is a progressive and thoughtful leader and has some excellent ideas of how he can impact the pathway over the coming period.

"I am extremely confident that he will continue to foster improvement and increase connectivity throughout our talent development system.

"It is imperative that Gloucestershire Cricket continues to develop our own players and play a pivotal role in making sure that our player pathways are thriving, are accessible and that our talent can successfully transition not only into the professional game but also help to reinforce the club cricket system with high-quality cricketers."