Thorpe steps up after Ramps is told: You’re out

Graham Thorpe is to become england’s main batting coach and is in line for extra responsibility after the ashes following the demotion yesterday of mark ramprakash. Former middlesex and Surrey batsman ramprakash (right) was told by england team director ashley Giles that he will not be involved in this summer’s series against australia and will have only a peripheral role until his contract runs out in September. It is another bold and ruthless move by Giles, who last month told assistant coach paul Farbrace that, having decided to join Warwickshire, he should leave at the end of england’s Caribbean tour rather than stay on for the World Cup. Giles believes that Thorpe, 49, who has been england’s white-ball batting coach, should take on a bigger role starting with the World Cup and the ashes. he is also set to be one of the main assistants to the new head coach when Trevor Bayliss leaves in September. Current bowling coach Chris Silverwood is favourite to take the top job, with paul Collingwood and Thorpe expected to be two of the three assistants given extra responsibility for Test, one-day and Twenty20 cricket. It is recognition of the high regard in which former Surrey batsman Thorpe is held. he was one of the first coaches in the england set-up to recognise the rich potential of Joe root when they worked together with the Lions. But it is a blow for ramprakash, 49, who applied for the head coach’s job at middlesex that went to Stuart Law. he is carrying the can for england’s many batting collapses and will now not even be

allowed to try to bow out in a winning ashes cause. ramprakash responded to the news yesterday by tweeting: ‘I’ve just been informed that I will not be involved in the ashes series. It’s been a huge privilege to support the team over the last five years. I’d like to wish all the staff and players the very best of luck for the future.’ Thorpe made a century on debut against australia in 1993 and was a mainstay of england’s middle order over 100 Tests until he retired just before the 2005 ashes.

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