CHRIS Silverwood has agreed to leave county champions Essex and become England’s new fast bowling coach.

Silverwood has been a revelation since taking over as head coach at Chelmsford and led Essex to the County Championship title just 12 months after sealing promotion from Division Two.

The former Yorkshire and Middlesex paceman will take over from Ottis Gibson, who left the role to take charge of South Africa at the end of the summer.

However, Silverwood will not take up the role until the new year and so he is unlikely to play any formal role in England’s Ashes campaign.

Silverwood had a prior agreement to travel to Australia in November as part of the England Lions coaching set-up.

The 42-year-old will fulfil that obligation before formally taking up the reins with the senior squad in January.

Silverwood earned the last of his six Test caps during the 2002/03 Ashes series, where he managed just four overs in Perth before injuring his ankle.

He also appeared in seven one-day internationals.

The England squad, which includes England opening batsman Alastair Cook, have already arrived in Australia in preparation for the Ashes.

Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond has been drafted in to the coaching set-up on a temporary basis to assist in preparations for the first two Test matches.

Essex told the Echo they would not be commenting on Silverwood's departure today.