Another piece of the jigsaw of Dutch cricket’s future was put into place on Thursday, when the KNCB advertised for its new post of Cricket Development Officer, to be filled with effect from 1 January 2009.

The new appointment will help give reality to the KNCB’s ambitious plans for the expansion of cricket in The Netherlands, and the successful candidate will work closely with the newly-established steering group for Recreatie Cricket Nederland (RCN).

Much of his/her attention will be directed towards the development of youth cricket, but he/she will also be involved in RCN’s other projects: the development of women’s cricket, regional development and the formation of new clubs, the scheme for smaller clubs to be adopted by larger ones, and new competitions such as the ‘Zomi’ (Sunday recreational cricket) and the RCN Twenty20 cup.

It’s a pretty full to-do list, and the Cricket Development Officer will clearly play a key role in the Bond’s attempt to decisively reverse the long, slow decline in the numbers playing the game.

The appointment will initially be for one year, with the prospect of extension subject to available funding and the CDO’s achievements during that first term.

For someone committed to cricket and with some coaching experience, the post will offer an excellent opportunity to make a mark in the cricket community, and to make a real difference to the sport’s prospects.