Peter Moores wants fewer specialist coaches around the England team during international fixtures but will consult captain Alastair Cook before any new specific appointments are made.
Moores was named England’s head coach for the second time four days ago and Standard Sport understands he favours a “back-to-basics” approach, moving away from the vast entourage that travelled with the team during the Andy Flower era.
While Moores is keen to appoint a backroom team, the bulk of the work will be done by the new coach and Paul Farbrace, who is expected to accept the England and Wales Cricket Board’s offer to become Moores’s assistant after quitting as Sri Lanka coach.
Under Flower, who left following the disastrous Ashes tour, Graham Gooch was batting coach, with David Saker taking care of the fast-bowling department and Richard Halsall, who began as fielding coach, nominally Flower’s assistant.
Mushtaq Ahmed was employed for a certain number of days a year as a spin specialist while Bruce French had responsibility for working with the wicketkeepers and developed a good relationship with Matt Prior, who was dropped for the final two Ashes Tests Down Under.
Huw Bevan has been fitness coach since 2009.
Mushtaq knows Moores from their time at Sussex while Saker is popular with Jimmy Anderson, England’s senior seam bowler, but it is difficult to see a role during matches for Halsall, French or even Gooch, despite his long-standing rapport with Cook.
Moores’s hands-on approach, and the fact he and Farbrace were wicketkeepers, is likely to leave many of the back-up roles redundant. The England players will gather at Loughborough tomorrow and Friday for fitness screenings before attention turns to their first game of the summer, a one-day international against Scotland in Aberdeen on May 9.
Meanwhile, Moores’s admiration for Sussex coach Mark Robinson is likely to result in the 47-year-old being given further stints with the England Lions side.
Robinson was considered for the assistant coach’s role that has been offered to Farbrace and Moores plans to retain close ties with the man who succeeded him at Hove in 2006.
