Silverwood axed ahead of West Indies series

LONDON (CMC):

England’s preparation for their Test tour of the Caribbean next month was dealt a heavy blow Thursday when head coach Chris Silverwood was sacked by cricket authorities here.

Silverwood’s departure is part of the continued fallout from England’s recent wretched Ashes series Down Under when they lost 4-0 to Australia after producing a string of embarrassing performances.

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director, Ashley Giles, was the first casualty earlier this week.

With England set to fly out to the Caribbean in two weeks for the tour beginning March 8 in Antigua, the ECB said “interim arrangements for the forthcoming tour of the West Indies will be announced in due course”.

“In the coming days, Andrew Strauss (chairman of the ECB cricket committee) will appoint a caretaker coach for the tour of the West Indies and will then consider the appropriate coaching structures to help England move forward,” said ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.

FORMER BOWLING COACH

Silverwood, a former bowling coach, was named in the role just over two years ago following the departure of Trevor Bayliss, also becoming chief selector last year.

But England won just four of 15 Tests in 2021, with the crushing in the Ashes proving the final straw for the ECB top brass.

“During his time in the role, Chris has given absolutely everything to make a success of it. He is a man of great integrity who players and staff alike have enjoyed working with” Harrison pointed out.

A former England seamer who played six Tests and seven One-Day Internationals between 1996 and 2001, Silverwood said he was leaving the job with “fond memories”.

“It’s been an absolute honour to be England head coach, and I’m extremely proud to have worked alongside our players and staff,” he said.

Despite overseeing the Ashes humiliation, Test captain Joe Root appears to have kept his job for the West Indies tour, which sees the first Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium from March 8-12.

The second Test is scheduled for Kensington Oval in Barbados from March 16-20, with the final Test carded for Grenada’s National Stadium from March 24-28.

On their last tour of the Caribbean in early 2019, England suffered a shock 2-1 defeat in the three-match series.