Andrew Strauss will begin the search for a new head coach after his appointment as the new director of England cricket and the sacking of Peter Moores, for the second time in his career, were belatedly confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Saturday.
On a day when those two poorly kept secrets were made concrete, it was also announced that England’s assistant coach, Paul Farbrace, will replace Moores in a caretaker capacity for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand while Strauss seeks the long-term replacement.
Jason Gillespie, the coach of Yorkshire, the county champions, remains the favourite for the position and while the Observer understands he would welcome talks, the former Australia fast bowler is yet to be contacted in any formal capacity by the ECB.
The ECB chairman-elect, Colin Graves, who begins his five-year tenure on Friday, has endorsed Gillespie’s credentials as an innovative and attacking coach behind the scenes, having seen his work first-hand during their three and a half years working together at Headingley. The decision, however, ultimately now rests with Strauss.
While a number of England players have privately expressed their delight that their old Test captain will take charge, there was also shock and anger among some of the squad and backroom staff that the popular Moores will not continue as head coach and the manner in which his sacking took place.
Moores had travelled from Barbados to Dublin after the Test tour of the Caribbean to oversee a young England team taking on Ireland in a one-day international on Friday unaware that Strauss, Graves and the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, had already agreed between themselves that he would be removed from the post.
While the news of his impending departure broke during the match, which Harrison attended as a guest of Cricket Ireland, Moores only learned about the reports upon his return to the team hotel after play was abandoned at 3pm, with only 18 overs bowled, due to rain.
Harrison and Moores eventually spoke that evening before the latter took an early flight home ahead of the team. Strauss and Moores are understood to have spoken on the telephone back in the UK as Harrison addressed the backroom staff and players in Dublin on Saturday morning.
The parting of ways was officially announced via a press statement in the afternoon, half an hour after confirmation of Strauss’s appointment, with Moores letting his hurt be known in the release and pointing to his excellent record in player development.
“At the moment it’s difficult to put into words how I feel except to say how disappointed I am in the way my term as England coach has ended,” said Moores, whose previous spell in charge ended in January 2009. “I will walk away knowing I’ve given my all to the role and always put the team at the front of any decision making.
“I believe time will show that I have been instrumental in the identification and development of a new group of England players who will go on and bring honour and success to the England badge. I am a passionate Englishman who believes in hard work and an investment in the right people will bring its rewards.
“I knew when I took on the role that this was going to be a tough period for English cricket and I would need time and support to get new players through,” he added. “My frustration is not being given that time.”
Harrison, who began his role at the ECB in January, went on record to praise the work of Moores, and added: “This decision has been made as we focus on the future and our need to build the right approach and deliver success over the next five years within a new performance structure.”
On top of that structure sits Strauss, with the missive announcing his appointment – a week after it was agreed – adding some more flesh to the bones of the job description. Crucially it stated that he will lead the selection process with no reference made as the future of the national selector, James Whitaker.
Strauss, it stated, will will be responsible for “the long-term strategy of the England men’s cricket team” and for developing “the right coaching and management structure to support it”. He will outline his vision for the role and field questions at Lord’s on Tuesday.
“Andrew’s breadth of ideas, his passion for England cricket and his proven leadership skills shone out,” Harrison said of the appointment. “He was an exceptional England captain, is an authoritative voice on the modern game and has a wealth of experience building successful teams.”
First on the to-do list for Strauss will be identifying the right man to appoint as head coach. The year-round nature of the job and time away from home makes the vacancy a harder sell than the more lucrative roles found in Twenty20 cricket and thus harder to sell to candidates with young families.
One such person is Gillespie, who has already agreed to coach Big Bash League side Adelaide Strikers – his home town club – during the English winter in conjunction with is role at Yorkshire, where he has settled.
The 40-year-old is widely hailed on the circuit for his ability to get his charges playing fearless cricket – something in short supply during the disastrous World Cup campaign that ultimately cost Moores 13 months into his second spell in the job.
“[Gillespie is] quite a laid back guy, he lets you go about your business your own way and he backs you to the hilt,” said the Yorkshire opener and last season’s top domestic scorer Adam Lyth. “He gives you that confidence to go out there and play your natural game. He encourages you to put on a show on for the crowd.”
