Fletcher resigns as England cricket coach

LONDON – Duncan Fletcher resigned as England coach yesterday ahead of their last World Cup match against West Indies in Barbados on Saturday.

Peter Moores, currently the England Academy coach, will take over on a temporary basis. Fletcher, 58, has been England coach since 1999 but has been under pressure since the winter when Australia reclaimed the Ashes in a 5-0 whitewash.England’s exit from the World Cup was confirmed on Tuesday when they were defeated by nine wickets by South Africa who claimed the last semi-final spot as a result.The names of potential successors are already being thrown into the aring.Former England captain Ian Botham believes former Australia Test star and current Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody would be the ideal replacement.”Fletcher must go now.As the most powerful England coach of all-time – with the right to pull players out of county games and total control over the team’s preparation – he must carry the can for this shambles,” Botham wrote in the Daily Mirror.”He’s done a fantastic job in the past with the Test side and we will forever be grateful to him for the 2005 Ashes triumph, but Fletcher has gone way past his sell-by date.Nampa-AFPFletcher, 58, has been England coach since 1999 but has been under pressure since the winter when Australia reclaimed the Ashes in a 5-0 whitewash.England’s exit from the World Cup was confirmed on Tuesday when they were defeated by nine wickets by South Africa who claimed the last semi-final spot as a result.The names of potential successors are already being thrown into the aring.Former England captain Ian Botham believes former Australia Test star and current Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody would be the ideal replacement.”Fletcher must go now.As the most powerful England coach of all-time – with the right to pull players out of county games and total control over the team’s preparation – he must carry the can for this shambles,” Botham wrote in the Daily Mirror.”He’s done a fantastic job in the past with the Test side and we will forever be grateful to him for the 2005 Ashes triumph, but Fletcher has gone way past his sell-by date.Nampa-AFP