Head coach and selector Chris Silverwood has followed managing director Ashley Giles out of the door as England pick through the mess of another disastrous Ashes series.
England will appoint an interim head coach in the coming days for the tour of the West Indies, which leaves later this month.
Silverwood was appointed by Giles as head coach in 2019, having previously served as bowling coach under Trevor Bayliss and led Essex to the Division Two and One County Championship titles.
Giles then gave Silverwood more responsibility last year, by firing Ed Smith and placing the head coach in charge of selection.
His first 18 months in charge were successful as he led England to away wins over South Africa and Sri Lanka and home victories against West Indies and Pakistan.
But in a bruising 2021 schedule the wheels fell off the wagon for England against India (twice), New Zealand and Australia. After a 4-0 Ashes drubbing, England have just one win in their last 14 Tests.
Silverwood said: “It’s been an absolute honour to be England Head Coach, and I’m extremely proud to have worked alongside our players and staff. I want to thank them all for the hard work and commitment they have given during my time in the role and I wish them all the very best moving forward.
“The last two years have been very demanding but I have really enjoyed my time with the team and working with Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, and I am very proud of this group considering the challenges. I leave with fond memories and I am now looking forward to spending some quality time at home with my family and embracing the next chapter.”
Andrew Strauss is in charge of the process to find an interim replacement, having pored over Giles’ review of the Ashes and then assumed the post of interim Managing Director. He was Giles’ predecessor.
ECB Chief Executive Tom Harrison, who is under extreme pressure for his job, praised Silverwood’s “great resilience and empathy”.
“During his time in the role Chris has given absolutely everything to make a success of it. He is a man of great integrity, who players and staff alike have enjoyed working with.
“Under Chris, England Men’s white ball teams have been ranked first and second in the world while he also led the Test team to a number of series wins including away in South Africa and Sri Lanka.
“He has led the England Men’s team with great resilience and empathy through an incredibly challenging period for English cricket, and he deserves our sincere thanks and gratitude.
“In the coming days Andrew Strauss will appoint a caretaker coach for the tour of the West Indies and will then consider the appropriate coaching structures to help England move forwards.”
It seems likely that Graham Thorpe, one of two assistant coaches, will also lose his job.
