The ECB are to spread the net far wider than expected in their search for the director of cricket to replace the axed Paul Downton . It was widely believed that the new ECB regime led by chief executive Tom Harrison and chairman Colin Graves would waste little time in appointing from a short list of former England captains Michael Vaughan , Andrew Strauss and Alec Stewart . But instead the Board are going to instigate a recruitment process involving head hunters Sport Recruitment International , who would be expected to suggest some overseas candidates as well as the trio already in the frame . Alec Stewart admitted he has had no contact with the ECB over the role of England cricket director . Michael Vaughan has been among the leading candidates to take up the newly-created role with England . The main problem is that the job description has yet to be fixed . Crucial issues will be the amount of travel involved and how much power the new director will hold on selection and the hiring and firing of captains and coaches . The ECB are still finalising those parameters before the headhunters start preparing their recommendations . UKIP leader Nigel Farage was spotted in the Tory heartland that is the Halford Hewitt golf tournament played by public school old boys ’ teams every April since 1925 at Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St George ’ s . However Farage , rather than electioneering , was cheering on his alma mater Dulwich College , for whom his son Sam was playing . England manager Roy Hodgson is keeping in with his boss , FA chairman Greg Dyke , by launching Roses 2015 , the annual clash between York and Lancaster universities over 50 sports and 132 fixtures during three days of competition starting on April 24 . Hodgson ’ s appearance at York ’ s Heslington campus is a favour to Dyke , the outgoing York University chancellor . But a new contract after Euro 2016 might be a bit much to ask in return . Roy Hodgson is launching Roses 2015 , the annual clash between York and Lancaster universities . The severe cuts that Sky have been forced to make since agreeing their £11m-a-match Premier League deal is apparent even in the Caribbean . Last year the Sky cricket team stayed at Antigua ’ s luxury Curtain Bluff resort but are now in the cheaper St James ’ s Club . Their hotels in England aren ’ t as good as they ’ ve become accustomed to either . Meanwhile top Sky executive Andy Cairns , controller of Sky Sports News , has a bell on his desk at Isleworth , though a Sky spokesman insisted he doesn ’ t ring it to summon staff . Maybe he rings it every time one of his reporters refers to ‘ Sky sources ’ , which would be often . Sofa so good for TMS . Test Match Special have relented over their fierce opposition to Test Match Sofa , who covered matches off the television , and have employed one of the Sofa ’ s main commentators Dan Norcross for their county cricket team . This would have been unthinkable three years ago when TMS ’ s Jon Agnew threatened to resign from the Cricketer magazine , who were funding the Sofa operation . And Agnew ’ s colleague , the late Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote : ‘ The thought of having to listen to predators who purport to be producing commentaries from sofa or armchair , without paying a penny to the ECB for the rights , is too ghastly to contemplate. ’ TMS producer Adam Mountford said : ‘ There is no issue with Dan , he ’ s a good commentator. ’ Test Match Special have employed Test Match Sofa 's Dan Norcross ( right ) for their county cricket team . One face missing from the England tour party in the Caribbean is specialist maths analyst Nathan Leamon , an important figure given coach Peter Moores ’ love of data . The ECB say Leamon ’ s replacement by newcomer Rupert Lewis is merely a rotation policy . Lewis , who worked for New Zealand Cricket , joined the ECB after Stuart Broad ’ s analyst sister Gemma decided to go travelling . ‘ Numbers ’ Leamon had an eventful World Cup . He hurt his toe after kicking out in anger in his hotel room following a bar-room debate about the importance of cricket stats , during which he was mocked by the awful Paul Allott for not playing cricket to a high level . It is also understood that Leamon was frustrated that Moores , for all dependence on data , didn ’ t make the most of his intensely detailed work .
The ECB were expected to appoint a former England captain for the role . In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Mr Carney said he was "surprised" by the decision and that it would be up to him whether or not to accept it. Sport Recruitment International expected to suggest overseas candidates .