The Australian influence on New Zealand Cricket continues to grow with the appointment of Kim Littlejohn to the new role of national selection manager.
The former Black Caps coach Mark Greatbatch, who was filling the job on an interim basis, missed out on the job.
Littlejohn, has been the high performance manager at Bowls Australia for the past seven years.
He's among several other Australians who have leading roles in New Zealand Cricket, including former Australia coach John Buchanan who's the director of cricket and assistant Black Caps coaches Trent Woodhill and Damien Wright.
Littlejohn's first assignment will be to assist Black Caps coach John Wright, in selecting the New Zealand side for next month's tour of Zimbabwe.
Buchanan says the role is quite different to the traditional selection role and will be responsible for the selection of men's and women's international cricket squads from under-19 level through to Black Caps and and White Ferns.
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He says a key part of the job will be liasing first-class coaches and high performance staff.
Buchanan says Greatbatch has provided invaluable input and expertise during his time in the interim role role but the selection panel, which also included former Black Caps fast bowler Shane Bond, believes Littlejohn was the candidate who best matched the requirements of the role.
Buchanan says the appointment has also been endorsed by Wright.
