Brearley critical of Moores appointment

Mike Brearley, the former England captain, has criticised the hastiness of the ECB's appointment of Peter Moores to replace Duncan Fletcher.

"I question the manner and timing of his selection as England head coach," Brearley wrote in his column in The Observer. "First, he has had no international experience. Installing him permanently in the job at this stage risks putting him in too difficult a position; if things go wrong over the next year, the future of an excellent person might be compromised. His selection smacks of favouritism."

Moores comes highly rated and recommended - in particular for turning around Sussex's fortunes - but, in appointing him just 24 hours after Fletcher's resignation, many feel the England board ought to have considered other candidates. David Collier, the ECB chief executive, quelled such concerns stating the board were wary of Moores being poached by another country.

"Coaches of Peter's calibre are going to be targeted at the end of the World Cup, there is no doubt about that," he told the BBC. "Peter was very much in mind for one country in the past [and] I was very keen that we were decisive and moved quickly. We didn't want to suddenly find out we'd lost the best candidate for the role."

Moores takes over from May 1. England's first Test of the summer, against West Indies, begins at Lord's on May 17.