Moores to replace Fletcher as England coach

Peter Moores will succeed Duncan Fletcher as England's permanent coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday.

Fletcher's resignation was announced on Thursday after England were dumped out of the World Cup following some dismal performances. He will stand down after Saturday's final World Cup Super Eights match with hosts West Indies.

Englishman Moores, 44, has been head of England's academy since 2005 and was widely tipped to take over. The ECB had hinted that any appointment would be temporary but the board have decided to give him the job permanently.

'INSPIRING COACH'

"ECB has developed a contingency and succession plan for all key management positions. Peter has been identified for some time as a leading candidate as a future England head coach," ECB chief executive David Collier said in a statement.

"He is highly respected as an innovative and inspiring coach and is an ideal person to accept this appointment."

Moores was a wicketkeeper for English county side Sussex and became player-coach in 1998.

He coached Sussex to their first Championship title in 2003 and his achievements led to him replacing Australian Rod Marsh as director of the England academy in 2005.

"It is an honour to have been appointed as England head coach and to succeed Duncan Fletcher, who has been an outstanding coach of the England team," Moores said.

"The challenge of this new role excites me and I look forward to meeting up with the players on their return to the United Kingdom and to leading England to success in both Test and one-day cricket."

He begins his new job on May 1 with England's first home test against West Indies starting on May 17.

Fletcher, 58, took England to second in the test rankings and will be best remembered for inspiring the side to a 2-1 home Ashes series win over Australia in 2005.

But a 5-0 mauling in Australia in the return series at the turn of the year and a miserable World Cup left his position untenable.

The seven-week World Cup culminates with the final in Bridgetown, Barbados on April 28.