Michael Yardy has been appointed Sussex’s new academy director and will take up the role next month.

He takes over from Richard Halsall, who is leaving the club.

Since calling time on a 15-year playing career at Sussex, Yardy has been batting coach for the county as well as England Young Lions, Kent, New South Wales and Big Bash outfit Sydney Thunder.

Yardy, now 40, was Sussex club captain from 2009 to 2012.

He also played 42 times for England in T20 and one-day internationals between 2006 and 2011 and was part of the team that won the 2010 men’s ICC World Twenty20.

Yardy, from Hastings, takes over an academy which has produced a host of first team players in the recent seasons.

He said: “It’s great to be coming back to Sussex, particularly in a role that is so crucial to the future of the club.

“My various roles in the time since I was last at the club have given me a wide range of perspectives which I believe will serve me well as I return to Hove.

“Top of my list of priorities is making sure our emerging young players are ready for professional cricket and can perform in the first team as quickly as possible after reaching that level.

“As well as the technical and tactical requirements, making sure they’ve got the mental approach and resilience they’ll need will be a big focus of mine and something we’ll be looking at throughout the pathway.

“There are some very good coaches throughout the pathway and they’ll play a big part in shaping our approach.

“Rich Halsall has done some excellent work over the last few years and we’ll be looking to build on that as we strive to make the Sussex pathway the best in cricket.

“If we can do that, then we’ll be producing cricketers that can not only win games and trophies for Sussex but also do the same for England.”

Sussex performance director Keith Greenfield said he wanted the county to have the best production line in cricket.

He added: “The different cricket experiences and knowledge he has gained will be invaluable to the players he will work with.

“In particular, Mike’s psychology degree will enable him to develop the mental skills of players, which are so vital in the modern game.”

Phil Hudson will now be responsible for managing Sussex boys’ pathway programme from under-ten to under-16 level.