Silverwood is England cricket coach

After much speculation, England have appointed Chris Silverwood as their new head coach across all formats, replacing Trevor Bayliss who stepped down from the role at the end of the home summer.

Ashley Giles, the ECB’s director of men’s cricket, has taken his time in appointing Bayliss’s replacement with a number of candidates sounded out for the post including Alec Stewart, Gary Kirsten and Graham Ford. But Giles has opted for continuity in appointing the 44 year-old Silverwood who has been the team’s fast-bowling coach since the start of the 2017/18 Ashes series.

The ECB’s selection panel comprised Giles, chief executive officer Tom Harrison and Head of Coach Development John Neal who unanimously agreed that Silverwood was their man having impressed during the interview process. Reports suggested that Kirsten, the former head coach of both South Africa and India, may have been the front runner but that he fell behind Silverwood after interviewing poorly. Giles described the former Yorkshire and England fast-bowler, as “the standout candidate”. “We are delighted to confirm Chris as England men’s head coach,” said Giles. “We have gone through a thorough process and looked at all the options that were available to us. Chris was the standout candidate.

“I believe he is what we need to take our international teams forward.

He is somebody we know well, but it is his intimate understanding of our structures and systems and his close relationships with Test captain Joe Root and white-ball captain Eoin Morgan that will help us develop our plans for the next few years.”

The new head coach’s first assignment will be England’s tour of New Zealand next month which includes two Tests and five T20Is. “I am thrilled and honoured to be appointed England head coach,” Silverwood said.

“I am excited to get started and build teams that the whole game can be proud of