The ECB has today announced that Cricket World Cup director Steve Elworthy MBE will remain with the board upon the conclusion of his role next month, assuming a new role as the head of special projects.

Elworthy has held the role as World Cup managing director since his appointment in July 2016 and has been with the ECB since 2008 in a variety of roles, including as part of the team that delivered the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 in England.

The new role will see him support ECB CEO Tom Harrison on a range of projects and Harrison has spoken of his pleasure at the move.

“I am delighted that Steve will be taking up this new position at the ECB,” he said. “His knowledge and understanding of cricket, on both a global and national level, will be pivotal to the organisation as we look to implement our game-wide strategic plan, Inspiring Generations, over the coming five years.”

It is expected that one of Elworthy’s key roles will be the deliverance of the ECB’s new competition, The Hundred, which commences in 2020.

“The Hundred is one of the major initiatives outlined within the strategic plan. It presents a fantastic opportunity for us to grow the game, not just amongst existing fans, but also to a wider, more diverse audience. I believe that in Sanjay [Patel, managing director] and Steve we have a superb senior team in place that will ensure the inaugural season of the men’s and women’s competitions are a tremendous success.”