Moores sacked, Strauss made director

Peter Moores has been sacked as England head coach after just over a year into his second stint in the job. The decision is the first for Andrew Strauss, who has been appointed as the new director, England cricket.

Paul Farbrace, the assistant coach hired by Strauss' predecessor Paul Downton, will take charge for the New Zealand series beginning on May 21 before a permanent coach is found ahead of the Ashes, which begins on July 8. Jason Gillespie, the Yorkshire coach, is the favourite for the role but ESPNcricinfo understands he has not yet been contacted by the ECB.

Moores, 52, led England through a disastrous winter of one-day cricket, culminating in their failure to qualify for the knockout stage after losing to Bangladesh. And having made progress in the Test arena with a resounding victory over India last summer, England's 1-1 draw in the West Indies served to further convince the management that a change of coach was needed.

"Peter is a man of great integrity and has offered a huge amount to England cricket," ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said. "He is admired by the players, his colleagues at the ECB and right across the game and deserves both our deep thanks and the widest recognition for his commitment and contribution.

"The last year has been a period of transition and rebuilding in which Peter has nurtured new talent, developed new players and laid the foundations for the new coaching structure to build on. This decision has been made as we focus on the future and our need to build the right approach and deliver success over the next five years within a new performance structure."

Moores, whose last match in charge was the washed out ODI in Dublin on Friday, said he was walking away having given his all to the role: "I believe time will show that I have been instrumental in the identification and development of a new group of England players who will go on and bring honour and success to the England badge. I am a passionate Englishman who believes in hard work and an investment in the right people will bring its rewards.

"My record in developing players stands for itself and though we have had some frustrations along the way I am confident that this team will go on and bring the success the supporters desperately want to see. I knew when I took on the role that this was going to be a tough period for English cricket and I would need time and support to get new players through. My frustration is not being given that time."

The appointment of Moores' replacement will be made by Strauss, the 38-year-old former England captain who won two Ashes series, who now has the responsibility for the "long-term strategy of the England men's team and developing the right coaching and management structure to support it". The head coach will now report to Strauss and the future of national selector James Whitaker is now in doubt.

"Andrew's breadth of ideas, his passion for England cricket and his proven leadership skills shone out," Harrison said. "He was an exceptional England captain, is an authoritative voice on the modern game and has a wealth of experience building successful teams. Andrew's also widely respected across the sporting landscape. We're delighted he's joining us at the ECB as we set out to create a new strategy for the game."

Another former England captain Michael Vaughan was initially linked with the role but following talks with the ECB last week ruled himself out. Vaughan had envisaged the role as possessing more power. More should be learned about the extent of those powers from Strauss and Harrison on Tuesday.

Gillespie is the leading candidate to replace Moores, although he has given no firm, indication he would definitely take the job. He is very highly regarded having led Yorkshire from Division Two of the County Championship to the Division One title last season - their first Championship since 2001.

Gillespie turned down the opportunity to take over at South Australia last week and is also close to the incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves, formerly chairman of Yorkshire, but he is highly content at a job share which splits his responsibilities between Yorkshire for eight months of the year with the remainder in Australia's as coach of Adelaide's T20 franchise, Adelaide strikers. He has a young family and is understandably reluctant to spend 250-plus nights a year on the international circuit.

Justin Langer, also a former member of the dominant Australia side of the 1990s and 2000s, has emerged as a potential coach, too. Langer is the current coach of Western Australia but has strong links with English cricket after eight years with Middlesex, where he played with Strauss, and later at Somerset. Langer is seen by many as the successor to Darren Lehmann as Australia coach but may be tempted to lead their Ashes rivals.

The future of England Test captain Alastair Cook remains unclear. He has now lost the two figures who publicly backed him - Downton and Moores - but Strauss has always spoken highly of his leadership credentials.