Andy Flower sacked as England coach

Andy Flower has been axed as England coach following the team's recent Ashes drubbing in Australia, according to an England & Wales Cricket Board press release.

Flower was told his time was up during a meeting at Lord's on Thursday with Paul Downton, the England and Wales Cricket Board's new managing director, who had been conducting a review into a tour of Australia where England suffered a 5-0 Ashes thrashing.

Flower has been England's head coach since 2009, overseeing three Ashes series victories and guiding England to the 2010 World Twenty20 title -- the first time they had won a major international limited overs event.

England beat Australia 3-0 in a home Ashes last year but were thrashed just months later in the return series. Flower has pulled back from the daily running of England's one-day cricket, ceding this responsibility to former Test spinner Ashley Giles.

But the losses have kept coming in Australia, a 4-1 one-day series reverse followed by Wednesday's 13-run defeat in the first Twenty20 in Hobart and an eight-wicket loss in the second T20 in Melbourne on Friday.

 

In a late-night statement the ECB confirmed that the former Zimbabwean batsman was indeed stepping down.

 

The full text of ECB's statement:

 

Andy Flower has today informed the England and Wales Cricket Board that he wishes to step down after five successful years as England Team Director.

Flower, who played 63 Tests and 213 ODIs for Zimbabwe over 11 years, began working with the national side in 2007 when he appointed assistant coach to Peter Moores. In 2009 the Zimbabwean was appointed England Team Director and during Flower's five year tenure England teams have achieved a number of significant milestones. England has won the Ashes three times - in 2009 and 2013 at home and for the first time in 24 years in 2010/11 Andrew Strauss and Flower won the Ashes in Australia. In 2011 England climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings and in 2012 Alastair Cook's side won a Test series in India for the first time in 27 years. England also claimed a first global title in 2010 when the team won the ICC World T20 in West Indies.

In December 2012 Flower handed over day to day responsibility for the limited overs teams to Ashley Giles who was appointed England ODI and T20 Head Coach leaving Flower to focus on the Test side.

Paul Downton, Managing Director England cricket, who met with Andy Flower this week, paid tribute to the England Team Director's record. Downton said: 'Andy has been the most successful coach in England's history and we at the ECB are very disappointed to see him leave the role as Team Director.

'We respect his decision and the reasons for it but we are keen to keep Andy's experience and outstanding knowledge within the ECB. We are at advanced stages of negotiating a role for Andy within the ECB structure which will best utilise his undoubted skills.'

Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, added: 'Andy Flower has not only shown himself to be a coach of great quality but also a man of great integrity. He has led England to great successes during his reign as Team Director and I look forward to his continued input in the ECB's coaching structure.

'I am sure that he will be every bit as successful in that role as he has been in his five years as England Team Director. I thank him for his contribution to England's cricketing history and wish him well in the future and his continued role in England's cricketing success.'

Andy Flower said: 'Following the recent very disappointing Ashes defeat it is clear to me that this is now time for England cricket, led by Alastair Cook, to rebuild with a new set of values and goals. The opportunity to start with a clean slate and begin to instil methods to ensure England cricket is moving in the right direction will be an incredibly exciting challenge for someone but I do not feel like I am in a position to undertake that challenge.

'In order for England cricket to make significant progress I believe that the Team Director, together with the respective captains, needs to be responsible across all formats in order to positively influence the rebuilding process. This will ensure complete clarity and continuity across the squads and having stepped aside from the limited overs squads 14 months ago that is not something I am able to do and I do not therefore feel that starting the process would be in the best interests of all involved at what is a pivotal time for England cricket.

'This has been a very difficult decision to make and I remain committed to England cricket and would like to wish Alastair Cook and Paul Downton every success. I will remain in my position as a selector for the time being and am currently exploring possible roles within the ECB. The priority must now be to establish the direction and personnel needed to ensure England cricket moves forward.'