Fletcher quits as coach

Bridgetown, Barbados: England cricket team coach Duncan Fletcher has resigned.

David Morgan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman confirmed Fletcher's exit at a press conference yesterday.

Peter Moores, the England Academy director, is likely take over on a temporary basis until the end of the series against West Indies.

"Efforts are on to appoint a temporary coach before the start of the series," said Morgan.

Fletcher has been coach of the England team since 1999. He has been under pressure ever since England were beaten 5-0 in the Ashes series. The exit of England from the ICC World Cup prior to the semifinals was the final blow.

Fletcher's last match as coach will be against West Indies at the Kensington Oval tomorrow.

England captain Michael Vaughan had given a hint of his exit soon after England's defeat to South Africa. He had said: Every coach has a shelf life. Fletcher's shelf life has expired."

New Zealander John Wright and Australia's Tom Moody are among the candidates in contention for Fletcher's place.

Morgan said that the ECB has accepted Fletcher's resignation and he will take charge of the team for the last time against West Indies.

The ECB circulated a press release thanking Fletcher for his services. The ECB chief executive David Collier said: "ECB would like to formally put on record our grateful thanks to Duncan Fletcher for his outstanding service to cricket throughout England and Wales.

Proud record

"He can be justifiably proud of a record which includes an Ashes Series victory over Australia, a record eight successive Test wins and Test series wins abroad in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies and South Africa as well as the tri-series triumph in Australia."

Collier went on to say: England's rise to No 2 in the LG ICC Test Championship is in no small measure due to his rigorous planning and excellent coaching skills"

Fletcher, in a statement released at the press conference, said: "Earlier in the World Cup I came to a decision about my future and I discussed stepping down as head coach with the ECB prior to England's game against Bangladesh.

"I feel it is in the team's best interests over the long term that I should move on and seek a new challenge elsewhere. This has been a difficult winter for the team and for me personally, but I believe that my record as coach over the past eight years is one in which I can take great pride."