England’s managing director of men’s cricket Ashley Giles has stepped down from his role in the wake of this winter’s Ashes debacle.
Giles will be replaced by former England captain Andrew Strauss - who he succeeded in the role - on an interim basis while the ECB search for a permanent successor.
England were hammered 4-0 by Australia, spared a humiliating whitewash by the last wicket stand that earned a battling draw in a rain-affected fourth Test at Sydney with the Ashes already gone.
It was England’s third away Ashes drubbing on the spin, the tourists having drawn two and lost 13 of their last 15 Tests down under, but the feeble manner of the defeat led to a more ferocious backlash than after previous doomed tours, with hope of regaining the Urn gone after just 12 days of cricket.
There were mitigating factors, including England’s desperate preparation which was destroyed by rain and the scheduling of the T20 World Cup, as well as the strain on players across the course of almost two years playing international cricket within Covid-secure bubbles.
However, heads were always likely to roll and Giles is the first major casualty, with doubt remaining over the future of head coach Chris Silverwood.
Giles took over from Strauss in January 2019 and oversaw that summer’s World Cup success on home soil but the Test side has struggled to bridge the gap to its white-ball equivalent in the years since.
Strauss will be placed in temporary charge as preparations continue for next month’s Test tour of the West Indies.
“I’d like to thank everyone for the support they’ve given me, particularly all the staff and the players, as well as the Board for giving me this opportunity,” Giles said in a statement.
“The past couple of years have been incredibly challenging and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to deliver in the toughest of circumstances. This has undoubtedly protected the future of the game in England and Wales
“Despite these challenges, over the past three years, we have become 50-over World Champions, the top ranked T20I side in the world, we remain 4th ranked Test team and our under 19s have just reached the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years. I wish all our players and staff great success for the future.
“I’m now looking forward to spending some time with my family before looking at the next challenge.”
