Durham's new head coach promises 'exciting brand of cricket'

• Ryan Campbell on his appointment as Durham CCC's head coach

Durham County Cricket's new head coach says he cannot wait to get started in the role and that he's determined his side will entertain come the new season.

Ryan Campbell has made the move to the Riverside after six years as head coach of the Netherlands' national team.

The Australian says he hopes to develop more English players, play an exciting brand of cricket and champion the region on a national stage.

He said: "I come from Perth where it was very much that it was us vs the rest of Australia. I think there's a little bit of that mentality up in the North East. In all honesty, it's part of the reason why I chose Durham. I'd heard so many stories about the good people and that really working class, aggressive approach to how they go about things. I'm going to embrace that.

"It's a great feeling to be here and I'm going to embrace every single moment of being here. I can't wait for my family to get here. I'm not sure who my son is going to barrack for in the football which is a bit of a contentious issue at the moment! I can't wait."

Campbell has around six weeks with his squad before heading off to Zimbabwe for pre-season preparations. They will then open their 2023 season against Sussex on 6 April.

He added: "I've obviously looked at the squad from afar and now I'm getting into the nuts and bolts of it. There's a little bit of tinkering going on but these six weeks is really all about engaging with the players and making sure we're all on the same page about how we want to go about it.

"I think people of the area should really embrace this Durham cricket team. because I think this year's it's going to be an exciting brand of cricket that we're going to play. I know that we have a good following so get down there and have a look, because I really think it's going to be worth watching."