JAMES WHITAKER will leave his role as England cricket's chief national selector at the end of March "as part of a revamp of the team selection process," the England & Wales Cricket Board said. Whitaker has been an England selector for 10 years and his departure is "linked to the ECB's introduction of a formalised scouting network" to pick its test, Twenty20 and one-day sides (REUTERS, 3/12). ... Super League side Castleford Tigers CEO STEVE GILL will "step down from his position at the end of May." Gill was appointed to the role in '13 and has seen the club reach a Challenge Cup final and Grand Final and win the League Leader's Shield (BBC, 3/12). ... Esports organization FlyQuest Sports named TRICIA SUGITA COO. Sugita was previously head of partnerships with esports outfit Immortals and its Overwatch League team, the L.A. Valiant (FlyQuest).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Bundesliga side Hamburg fired BERND HOLLERBACH as coach on Monday after his "failure to win any games since being appointed" as a replacement for MARKUS GISDOL. The club, which is "fighting against its first relegation from the Bundesliga," appointed former U21 coach CHRISTIAN TITZ for the remaining eight games of the season (AP, 3/12). ... GAVIN DYKES quit as Northern Ireland Football League Premiership side Ballinamallard United manager with the team "seven points adrift at the bottom" of the league. Dykes, who took over from WHITEY ANDERSON in '16, "considered leaving the club in October after a poor start to the season" (BBC, 3/12).
