Pat Howard signs new two-year Cricket Australia deal

Cricket Australia has confirmed that team performance executive Pat Howard will remain in his role until at least 2019.

Pat Howard, Cricket Australia's executive general manager of team performance, has agreed to a new two-year contract extension.

Howard was appointed to the position in 2011 and has been a key figure for Australia in that time, overseeing a whitewash in the 2013-14 Ashes, a Cricket World Cup triumph in 2015 and a rise to number one in the Test rankings last year.

The 43-year-old's deal was set to expire in June, but Howard – who represented Australia 20 times in rugby union – will now stay on until 2019.

"Pat is a dynamic, passionate executive and the board and I are delighted that he has agreed to extend his term as Cricket Australia's Executive General Manager of Team Performance until 2019," CA chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement. 

"He has led the evolution of a new team performance structure and success-driven culture for both men's and women's cricket in Australia and we see his ongoing contribution as integral to our future plans. 

"I wish Pat and our teams well as they look forward to continued improvement and, in the short term, success in the UK at the ICC Champions Trophy and Women's World Cup."

Howard added: "Firstly, I would like to thank the Cricket Australia board and all those at Cricket Australia for their support, and allowing me to continue in my role for the next two years. 

"In sport there are always highs and lows but if I was to reflect, I am particularly pleased with how much our pathways and talent identification systems have grown, with more than 300 contracted male and female players, as well as the coaching pathway for coaches in Australian Cricket."