LANCASHIRE cricket manager Mike Watkinson will be asked to take on a new position of director of cricket should the club’s committee endorse a restructuring proposal from chairman Michael Cairns later this week.

The former England and Bolton League all-rounder has been cricket manager at Old Trafford for seven seasons after replacing Australian Bob Simpson.

But plans to create two new positions at the club, a director of cricket and a first team coach, will be discussed at Old Trafford on Thursday.

And if the changes are agreed, it will almost certainly see Watkinson move upstairs to oversee first team, second team and academy matters, among other things. The search will then begin for a first team coach to look after the day-to-day running of the senior squad.

“If we are looking at the possibility of one person overseeing all the cricket at the club, they will not be able to be in charge of the first team as well, although Mike has attempted to do that over the last few years,” said Lancashire chief executive Jim Cumbes.

“Mike is a keen and qualified coach, but at times he is pulled in all directions. If the plans are given the go ahead on Thursday, the club will be keen to bring in a new coach as soon as possible.”

Cairns, who replaced long-serving Jack Simmons last summer, seems keen to make his mark at Old Trafford having supposedly played a big part in the club’s decision to sack captain Stuart Law in October.

Now he wants a new structure at Old Trafford in a bid to bring the club’s first County Championship title since 1934.

It remains to be seen who will be the leading candidates to take on the coaching role, although former Sussex captain Chris Adams has already been tentatively linked despite the 38-year-old being well on with discussions to take over as the new coach at Surrey.

Cumbes has stated the club would prefer not to employ a foreign coach again.