England white-ball head coach Matthew Mott stands down

Matthew Mott has stood down as England’s white-ball head coach, leaving Marcus Trescothick in charge while the search for a permanent replacement begins.

Mott’s two-year reign came to an end after Rob Key, the managing director of England’s men’s cricket, concluded “new direction” was needed in an under-performing team.

But captain Jos Buttler, whose position also came under scrutiny after two hugely disappointing World Cup title defences in the space of eight months, has been backed to continue leading the side.

Matthew Mott has stepped down as England Men’s white-ball Head Coach.

Assistant Coach Marcus Trescothick has been appointed on an interim basis.

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2024

Mott and Buttler won the T20 World Cup together in 2022, within months of starting work together, but the last two tournaments were a major disappointment.

England surrendered the 50-over crown last year in dismal fashion, losing six of their nine games in a joyless trudge around India, and beat only one full member nation before being thrashed in the semi-finals of last month’s T20 World Cup.

Trescothick, a hard-hitting opener and 2005 Ashes winner, will take over for for the visit of Australia in September while a successor is secured.

Highly-respected former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, who has worked closely with Buttler as head coach of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, is an early front-runner. He would be seen as the ideal candidate to dovetail with Buttler, but unpicking – or accommodating – his franchise commitments could take time.

Andrew Flintoff, left, and Kumar Sangakkara are among the candidates to replace Mott (John Walton/PA)

The vacancy could come too soon for Andrew Flintoff, the fan favourite who has returned to cricket following a life-threatening car crash while filming for Top Gear and is currently leading Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

Other high-profile names who have been linked include Australia’s Mike Hussey, Jonathan Trott and Simon Katich. Eoin Morgan, Buttler’s predecessor who retired within a few days of Mott taking up the role, has ruled himself out.

Announcing the news, Key said: “After three World Cup cycles in a short space of time, I now feel the team needs a new direction to prepare for the challenges ahead.

“This decision was not made lightly, but I believe it is the right time for the team’s future success. With our focus shifting towards the Champions Trophy early next year and the next cycle of white-ball competition, it is crucial that we ensure the team is focused and prepared.

“Marcus Trescothick is well respected in the dressing room and will take charge of team affairs alongside white-ball captain Jos Buttler. Marcus and Jos have a good rapport, and I think their partnership will help us maintain continuity and stability.

Marcus Trescothick has been placed in temporary charge (Nick Potts/PA)

“On behalf of everyone connected to England cricket, and me personally, I would like to thank Matthew for all he has done for the team since his appointment.

“He can be proud of his achievements as he leaves his post as one of only three coaches who have won a Men’s World Cup with England.”

Mott, who insisted after the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean that he remained the right man for the job, said: “I am immensely proud to have coached the England Men’s team; it has been an honour.

“We have put everything into trying to achieve success over the past two years, and I am incredibly proud of the character and passion that the team has displayed during that period, including a magnificent T20 World Cup victory in 2022.

“I would like to thank the players, management, and everyone at the ECB for their commitment, support, and hard work during my time. I leave with many great friendships and incredible memories.

“Finally, I would like to thank the England fans, who have always backed us and given us fantastic support wherever we have travelled around the world.”

Trescothick, whose aggressive style of batting was ahead of its time when he was holding court at the top of England’s batting order between 2000-2006, added: “England cricket is in a strong position, and the potential is huge, given the quality we have available.

“It is about harnessing that potential and developing the work that has already been put in place by Mathew Mott and the rest of the set-up. I’m excited about the challenge and shaping how we want to play.”

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Harry Brook backed as possible future England captain by Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid has backed Harry Brook to flourish as Northern Superchargers captain and admitted it could potentially be the start of a journey to leading England in the future.

The Hundred franchise announced Brook as their skipper for the 2024 tournament earlier in July and the 25-year-old will assume the role for Tuesday’s fixture against Southern Brave at Headingley.

Brook, who has previously led England’s Under-19 team and is third in the ICC Test batting rankings, was made captain over more experienced figures and it occurred amid speculation he could be in the running to replace national white-ball captain Jos Buttler.

“He’s touched with a bit of genius.” 💬

Relive @Harry_Brook_88‘s 105 not out last summer! ⚡️ #TheHundred | #EveryBallCounts

— The Hundred (@thehundred) March 11, 2024

England team-mate Rashid told the PA news agency: “With Brooky having the captaincy, it is something fresh and hopefully looking forward into the future it is something I personally believe he can take (forward).

“He will bring that calmness, that clarity, obviously he will bring those world-class skills as a player.

“It is an exciting time for him to lead the Superchargers, the first time he is doing it, but he has all the backing of everyone here.

“Potentially (it could lead to the England captaincy). Everyone starts somewhere.

“Some captains started at 22 or 23, got into that role and become captain of more squads and teams as they got better, with more experience and they gained more confidence. When that happens, naturally they go on further and represent England (as captain).

“This is definitely a starter for him to captain here at the Superchargers and it is just about getting that experience. I am sure he will be a captain that is calm, but is positive and looks at things in a positive manner.”

Adil Rashid in action for Northern Superchargers (ECB/Handout)

What adds further intrigue to Brook being made Superchargers captain is the fact he will partner up with Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff, who has been made head coach of the franchise.

It is Flintoff’s first head coach role in the sport after he only returned to cricket last year following a horror crash at the end of 2022 while filming for the BBC show Top Gear, but he has been a regular fixture around the England set-up since and has been touted as a replacement for under-fire Matthew Mott.

“I think Fred is a natural leader,” Rashid reflected.

“When he does speak, people listen and get inspired by his talk, by the language he uses, which is a big positive. To listen to someone who has been there, done it, I am sure he will do wonders.

“He also brings something fresh, something new as to how he looks at cricket as a coach with that enjoyment factor, that freedom to express yourself. So far he has fitted in really well.

“Both Fred and Brooky are very calm individuals, but also very confident, very positive and fearless characters.

“I am sure them two will complement each other really well on and off the pitch. We have a great bunch of lads here in terms of cricketing ability and minds so hopefully everything clicks well.”

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Ex-England captain Flintoff tasted defeat in his maiden match on Friday, but will soon have Ben Stokes available and in multiple World-Cup winner Rashid the overall leading wicket taker in the competition with 31 scalps.

Last week, the Yorkshire spinner had a mural unveiled at Bradford Cricket Ground and is excited for the 100-ball tournament to attract more fans to the sport.

Rashid acknowledged: “Yeah, it’s a great feeling.

“Hopefully young kids see it and are inspired to potentially play cricket and become a professional. Knowing it is possible regardless of where you come from, religion, race or background, it is doable.”

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Ben Stokes on song and new faces shine – 5 things we learned from Windies series

England completed their first assignment of the summer by securing a 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies at Edgbaston.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what lessons can be learned from the series.

Ashes on the agenda

England captain Ben Stokes (right) has his eyes firmly on regaining the Ashes (PA Archive).

The early days of Ben Stokes’ captaincy were marked by an insistence on focusing squarely on the next game at hand, or in the words of head coach Brendon McCullum, ‘living where your feet are’. But the high drama of last summer’s drawn series against Australia, followed by a first major setback in India over the winter, appears to have inspired a shift in tone. Both men are now openly talking about building a side that can tackle the ultimate goal of regaining the urn in 2025/26 and picking teams with that in mind. The here and now might be in good order, but it is clear that risks will be taken and big calls made with one eye on a trip Down Under that could define the entire project.

There is life after James Anderson

Jimmy Anderson’s final ever Test wicket, set to the Titanic music – because why not? 😭 pic.twitter.com/emkeanKMBQ

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 12, 2024

Parting ways with the most prolific fast bowler in the history of the game was never going to be simple, but England finally cut the cord on the man who has led their attack for most of the past two decades. Anderson resisted the idea of scripting his own ending so eventually had the final chapter written for him by the selectors. With nobody capable of replicating his exact skills, England are banking on pace as the new defining feature of their bowling attack. Gus Atkinson stepped up brilliantly with 22 wickets in his first Test series and hitting 90mph along the way, while Mark Wood’s lightning bolts became more integral than ever. With Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue likely to come back into the Test equation next summer, England are eyeing a pace arsenal with real firepower.

Smith is the real deal

• Runs: 207
• Average: 51.75
• Top-score: 95
• Strike-rate: 71.62
• Catches: 14

Even after deciding to move on from 100-cap veteran Jonny Bairstow and the silken-gloved Ben Foakes, England had a big decision to make behind the stumps. Ollie Robinson was posting serious numbers at Durham and Phil Salt’s performances in the white-ball team catapulted him into contention. Instead they backed Jamie Smith, effectively Foakes’ wicketkeeping understudy at Surrey. His handiwork was quietly impressive against the West Indies, but it was his effervescent batting at number seven that really wowed. He smashed sixes out of the ground at Lord’s and Edgbaston and came within one more big blow of a century in his final knock. Every inch a ‘Bazball’ cricketer, the 24-year-old now looks inked into the core of the side.

Surgery has saved Stokes

Ben Stokes is fit and firing on all cylinders after undergoing knee surgery last year (Nick Potts/PA),

The England captain resisted an operation on his long-term knee condition, but his decision to go under the knife last year has breathed new life into both him and his team. He had been operating at reduced capacity for at least 18 months, unable to take his share of the bowling load, stiff in the field and often pained at the crease. He looks lean and vibrant, fit and able to step up as fourth seamer and running with his old hunger. Ben Stokes the captain has no better player at his disposal than Ben Stokes the all-rounder.

West Indies plight is a warning sign

“The key is to stay tough mentally, believe in yourself, know where we got to improve, myself included, and do our best to do it.”

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite talks about the path forward ahead of the South Africa Test series.#ENGvWI #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/z8ppKFgPwn

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 28, 2024

Without taking anything away from England’s efforts, seeing the West Indies routed in 10 days of a scheduled 15 represents a red flag. Ticket sales have been outstanding once again this summer, but a one-sided series means there is no room for complacency. Watching the likes of Kirk McKenzie struggle to compete while T20 stars like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer compete in The Hundred is a bad look for the game. The West Indies need more financial muscle to keep their best players involved and the England and Wales Cricket Board must do more – financially and politically – to fight for the global game.

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Ben Stokes says Mark Wood has ‘heart of a lion’ as England whitewash West Indies

England captain Ben Stokes finished off the West Indies in a blaze of glory at Edgbaston then praised Mark Wood for showing “the heart of a lion” to set up the win.

The hosts celebrated a 3-0 whitewash over the tourists as they roared to a 10-wicket victory in the third Test, putting together a sprint finish for the second Sunday in a row.

Stokes ended things in riotous fashion as they chased down a slender target of 82 on the third afternoon, crashing 57 not out in just 28 balls after promoting himself to opener.

Standing in for Zak Crawley, who fractured his little finger in the field, Stokes reached his half-century in only 24 deliveries – shaving two off Sir Ian Botham’s 38-year-old record for England’s fastest ever half-century.

He dumped a pair of sixes into the stands to wrap things up in just 7.2 overs but was happier to shine a light on Wood’s outstanding efforts with the ball.

The 35-year-old was remarkably unlucky to leave Trent Bridge with only two wickets last week after an outstanding display of pace bowling that saw him top 97mph but finally got his just deserts in a destructive post-lunch spell that saw him take the West Indies last five wickets in the space of 21 balls.

Wood intimidated the tourists with bumpers, threatened their outside edges with reverse swing and blitzed the stumps when he went full and fast.

“It was an amazing spell. He’s got the heart of a lion and that’s exactly what you want as a captain,” he said.

“The skill and the X-factor he has…it looked like he was going to take a wicket every ball. He’s walked off with five-for but I still don’t think he’s got the rewards he actually deserves for the effort he’s put in over the last two Test matches.

“He’s just been incredible. He’s known for running in spell after spell, ball after ball, and giving everything he possibly can towards the team and the shirt but that spell this afternoon was awesome. Not only was it fast but it was extremely skilful and came at a time when I sensed it was time to blow them away.”

As for his big-hitting cameo with the bat, which ended both the game and the series with a crescendo, Stokes admitted he was a man on a mission.

“I was always going to go out there and try to be ultra positive. At a certain stage it was just about trying to hit every ball for four or six,” he said.

“Once one hit the middle I was like, yeah I might as well have a crack. I genuinely didn’t know about the record. Paul Collingwood told me up in the dressing-room that I had the fastest 50 for England, he’s the one that checks the records. I’m pretty chuffed to go past Beefy. A bottle of champagne would be appreciated!”

It is only a matter of weeks since England made some major changes to their side, taking a handful of big decisions after the 4-1 series loss in India. Out went Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Jack Leach – joined after one Test by record wicket-taker James Anderson – and in came a new guard of Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson and Shoaib Bashir.

All three have had a significant impact, Atkinson named player of the series after harvesting 22 wickets, Bashir taking a match-winning five-for in the second Test and Smith producing knocks of 70 and 95 to go with some tidy wicketkeeping.

“I feel what we are good at is identifying something in a player that stands out. It’s nice to see those decisions pay off,” said Stokes.

“I love nothing more than seeing my team-mates do well and flourish. You always want them to go out and succeed, I’m quite exuberant in that sense.”

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England make inroads to close in on series sweep

England crept closer to a series sweep over the West Indies as they chalked off three more wickets on the third morning at Edgbaston.

The third Test looks certain to go the same way as its predecessors at Lord’s and Trent Bridge, with the tourists unable to consistently compete against a side who refuse to let them off the leash.

At lunch they were 151 for five in their second innings, just 57 ahead, after Shoaib Bashir, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson took one apiece.

Need a wicket? 🤔

Call Ben Stokes today! 📞 pic.twitter.com/NaKUfm5aBI

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 28, 2024

Mikyle Louis (57) and Kavem Hodge (52no) brought the fight but it will take a lot more where that came from to leave England looking over their shoulders.

Resuming with the score on 33 for two the hosts opened up with spin and speed, Bashir setting up camp at the Birmingham End and Mark Wood kicking off with a five-over blast of pace.

The variation worked a treat to unsettle Alick Athanaze, who was hit on the body by a short ball from Wood then mistimed a sweep against Bashir and fell lbw for 12.

Exactly a week ago in Nottingham the West Indies collapsed in a heap in the their second innings and the early wicket raised the prospect of another Sunday surrender.

That could well have happened when Hodge nicked his first ball, a tester from Bashir, but it flew between wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and Joe Root at first slip and skipped away for four.

Hodge, coming off a first-innings duck, was just as fortunate with his second scoring shot, another edge off Wood finding its way past the cordon. Good luck soon gave way to good judgement, though, as he began to assert himself on the situation.

Kavem Hodge pulls for four on his way to a half-century at Edgbaston (Nick Potts/PA)

He took back-to-back boundaries off Wood, playing back then pressing forward in anticipation, and hit two more off Stokes as the skipper targeted the stumps.

After an hour’s play the scores were level and Louis took that as a sign to shift up a gear. Twice he smashed Bashir down the ground for six, the first of which took him to 50 in joyous fashion.

His fun was about to end though. Stokes had been working himself into a strong rhythm, sending down his fastest recorded spell for four years, and got something to show for it when he forced through an away swinger on a fourth-stump line. Louis was drawn in, Zak Crawley swallowed the catch at second slip and England were on the move again.

Crawley’s hands let him down when Jason Holder offered another chance off Stokes but Atkinson spared his team-mate’s blushes in the very next over as he pinned the all-rounder lbw.

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England vs West Indies: Score and latest updates from third Test, day three

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Jamie Smith vows to continue fearless cricket after taking attack to West Indies

England new boy Jamie Smith has promised to continue playing fearless cricket after facing down a bouncer barrage from the West Indies on his way to a game-changing 95 at Edgbaston.

The Surrey wicketkeeper’s innings was the difference between the teams on day two of the third Test, with the home side’s first-innings lead of 94 almost exactly matching his contribution from number eight.

With the platform set, England took two late wickets to leave the West Indies trailing by 61 heading into the third day.

SMASHED out of the ground by Jamie Smith! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SHlMtEYvuA

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2024

It was a second striking performance in four innings since the 24-year-old was catapulted into the side ahead of the seasoned duo of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes, and all the more notable given the circumstances.

England were still 51 behind when he came to the crease but his bold strokeplay quickly turned things around, particularly when the tourists decided to test him with a burst of short stuff.

Seamer Jayden Seales revealed Smith had been marked down as a “compulsive hooker” in the away dressing room but their attempts to expose a weakness fell flat. Instead Smith responded with pulls and hooks, launching a huge six over the Eric Hollies Stand and cashing in after tea as the bumpers continued.

“I guess it’s nice to have to set it out quite early on in your career, that you are someone who’s going to go out and be positive, not afraid of opposition,” Smith said.

“Moving forward, you’re not just that sitting target. People are going to come and attack you and you’re going to go and attack them.

“It might bring about my wicket a few times but I’m really not too worried about that because I’m out there to score runs. Pull shot, hook shot…I’m always thinking about taking it on first.”

Smith was calm about missing out on a maiden Test hundred by just five runs, content instead to have helped shape the game in England’s favour and played one utterly unforgettable shot.

He had scored just nine when he launched Alzarri Joseph for a monster six, high and handsome over the Eric Hollies Stand. He also sent one out of Lord’s on his debut earlier this month and is making waves as a big-hitter.

“It’s a great memory to look back on,” he said.

“Hopefully that’s a trend moving forward because that means I’m probably moving the right direction. When I come back here with Surrey, it’ll be something to brag about to a few of the lads as well.

“If anyone said to me at the start of the day you’ve got 95, I’m definitely taking that. I’m a little bit gutted, I guess, and I’m sure I will be in a couple of days, looking back on missing out on only five runs. But milestones aside, it was great to put in a performance for team.”

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