Ashwell Prince quits as Bangladesh batting coach

Ashwell Prince has resigned as Bangladesh's batting coach, according to the BCB's cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus. Prince, whose contract was supposed to run until the end of 2022, was in the job for less than a year.

"We have received his resignation letter on email a few minutes ago. He has cited family reasons for his decision," Yunus said.

BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said in a statement*: "The board respects Ashwell's decision and accepts the resignation. We thank him for his service and professionalism and his dedicated work with the national team batsmen and wish him the very best for his future endeavours."

Prince's decision comes a month after the BCB's appointment of Jamie Siddons, the former Bangladesh coach, as batting consultant. When Siddons was appointed in December, board president Nazmul Hassan had said it was "not yet finalised in which area he will work in, whether it is the High Performance, Under-19s or the senior team". The board is allowing Siddons a few weeks to observe the BPL to find out more about the local talent before firming things up.

Prince joined the Bangladesh team last July during their tour of Zimbabwe. The following month, the BCB extended his contract till the end of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Prince had resigned as the head coach of South Africa's Western Province side to take up the Bangladesh role permanently.

Prince oversaw a difficult period for Bangladesh when they struggled with the bat in last year's T20 World Cup, as well as the home series against Pakistan. But, during his tenure, they also bounced back superbly in the Mount Maunganui Test, which they famously won by eight wickets against New Zealand.