Matthew Mott has been sacked from the England men’s white-ball head coach position after catastrophe talks with Rob Key. In the absence of a head coach, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick will act as interim coach in the upcoming T20s and five-match ODI series against Australia in September.
Matthew Mott was appointed as head coach in May 2022 after his success with Australia’s women’s team. Under his guidance, England won the T20 World Cup 2022 title in Australia.
But they suffered back-to-back defeats in the WTC and ODI World Cup in 2023. They also failed to qualify for the finals in the T20 World Cup 2024, as they suffered defeat in the semi-final match against India.
The ECB will be appointing a new head coach before the start of England’s 2024-25 season. England has white-ball tours scheduled in the West Indies in October and November. They will be playing against India in January and February. They will be heading towards Pakistan to play in the Champions Trophy in 2025.
Meanwhile, Jos Buttler who was appointed as England’s captain after the appointment of Matthew Mott will continue in the position.
“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,” Key said. “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.”
England’s record since Mott’s arrival is not as good as it was before his appointment. They won 16 matches out of 34 ODI played under Mott having a 47% win rate, when in the three years before his appointment they had won 18 games with a win percentage of 64%.
They won 23 of 42 games completed T20 under Mott with a 55% win percentage, down from 23 out of 38 with 61% in the previous three years.
“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,” Mott said. “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.”
Former Player Andrew Flintoff who took the role of Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, has been linked with England’s white-ball role. ECB is likely to seek a candidate with vast experience including involvement at the Indian Premier League.
“I am looking forward to working with Jos Buttler, the players and coaches over the next few weeks,” Trescothick said. “The focus is building towards the series against Australia and next year’s Champions Trophy. 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 Matthew Mott and the rest of the set-up. I’m excited about the challenge and shaping how we want to play,” concluded Trescothick.
