Matthew Mott has stepped down as England men's head white-ball coach after two years in the role, putting to an end the rumours circulating over his position.
Assistant coach, Marcus Trescothick will take charge of the side on an interim basis for the rest of the home summer. He will coach England through their upcoming white-ball series against Australia in September.
Mott: I leave with many great friendships and incredible memories
On his departure from the role, Mott 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.”
Back-to-back under-par World Cup campaigns
Reports began to circulate over the security of Mott's tenure after England returned from their T20 World Cup campaign in June. While he coached England to the semi-finals of the tournament, England looked less than convincing, narrowly avoiding being knocked out in the group stage and losing to South Africa in the Super Eights. They were bowled out for 103 by India in the semi-final, and lost by 68 runs.
England's results during Mott's tenure have been on a downward spiral since they won the T20 World Cup in 2022. Mott was only appointed a month before that tournament, first presiding over a 4-3 T20I series win against Pakistan in November 2022. The first wave of reports on a potential departure for Mott emerged during England's disastrous World Cup campaign in India last year, where England lost six of their nine matches and finished in seventh place.
Mott's departure comes despite ECB CEO Richard Gould asserting that the rumours of Mott's exit were "not true" in a recent interview. Speaking to BBC Test Match Special during day one of England's Test match against the West Indies at Edgbaston, Gould said: "Matthew Mott is a really good guy, a really good coach, he's got a really good track record, same with Jos [Buttler]. We are always assessing our options, that's what happens in high performance sport, you're always assessing your options, but you never want to be drawn into giving the dreaded vote of confidence or anything like that."
Who will succeed Mott?
There are several options tipped to replace Mott as England's head white-ball coach. The bookies favourite of these is Andrew Flintoff, who has been part of England's coaching setup since last summer. Other earmarked options include Jonathan Trott, Michael Hussey and Simon Katich. Despite reports he was set to take up the job, England's World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan has ruled himself out of contention.
On the potential replacements, the managing director of England men's cricket, Rob 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.
"The search for a full-time replacement will now begin. It is essential that we go through the right process to ensure we get the best person for the job."
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