ENGLAND coach Peter Moores will keep his job despite his side’s World Cup exit at the hands of Bangladesh, says England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton. England lost by 15 runs in a match they had to win to stay in the tournament.
Moores, who is in his second spell in charge of England, wants to stay on as coach but told BBC Sport: “It’s not my decision.”
However, Downton said: “I’ve got full faith in Peter Moores. He will stay.”
He added: “Peter was brought in 10 months ago and part of that reason is because he’s such an experienced coach. Whoever got that job at that time was going to have a difficult time. We’re in a rebuilding phase so today’s the wrong time to be making any kind of judgement at all.”
Downton, though, admitted the ECB had much to consider: “We’ll sit and review everything when we get back.
“Everything will be reviewed, now’s not the time to be doing it, we’ve got one more game to play, let the dust settle, everyone’s very emotional.”
Ex-England captain Alec Stewart told BBC Radio 5 live: “It hasn’t been 12 hours since England’s exit. I’d much rather people take stock, and look at how we can improve the situation.
“We need to find a method of how we want to play and stick with that. To do anything now within 12 hours is not the way forward. It would be stupid.
“I’m not saying Peter Moores is the right man or the wrong man, but now is not the time to say ‘on your bike’, it’s time to get plans in place to move forward.”
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott told BBC Sport that all involved with the England team needed to “look at themselves”.
He added: “Some of the players as individuals have let themselves down, but as a team they have been pretty poor in their thinking and planning.
“We seem to be light years behind other teams in the way we think about one-day cricket. The game has moved on very quickly and it is very different from even 10 years ago.”
He was also critical of Moores’ focus on data analysis and statistics, and his lack of international playing experience: “I watch the game because I’ve played, I don’t need a computer.
“He doesn’t have that experience. I don’t say it’s impossible to coach if you’re not a former player. You don’t have to be a former player but it sure as hell does help.”
Moores said he felt “hollow inside” and “hugely disappointed” following England’s demise.
“It’s not my decision if I’m given time,” he added. “I understand why people would think I’m not the right man, but it’s a bigger picture than that.”
He said England’s one-day form has not been good “for a while” and insisted there was a lack of top talent.
“The reality is we’re not overloaded with a lot of high-class one-day players,” he said.
“It’s something we have to look at. It’s not to be done now. Today is about the emotion of the day for me. We’re out of the tournament.” (BBC Sport)