Essex have named former England bowler Chris Silverwood as their head coach on a full-time basis.
The 40-year-old stepped in temporarily following Paul Grayson's departure in September and went on to guide the county to a sixth-place finish in the County Championship, having been third when he took charge.
Former England captains Keith Fletcher and Graham Gooch, cricket committee chairman Ronnie Irani and recruitment specialist Wasim Haq were among the selection panel that interviewed five candidates for the job.
"I am absolutely over the moon. I made my intentions clear at the end of the summer, and I am delighted to get the opportunity to do the job," Silverwood told Essex's official website.
"I passionately want to see Essex be successful. There were some big names on the panel, and to know I've got the support of those guys is immense. There was so much knowledge sat around that table, and to have them pick me out is fantastic.
"We are determined to move the club forward, and move on from last season. This is a fresh start, and that is shown with the changes we have already made to our pre-season programme. We need to change how we have done things previously, and I am already making those changes. It is a great opportunity."
Silverwood, who represented Essex, Yorkshire and Middlesex during his playing career, featured in six Tests and seven one-day internationals for England.
Steven Toplis
