Glimmers in Tests, ghastly in one-dayers

Moores returns as England coach, five years after being removed, following the Ashes whitewash and dismal World T20 showing - the former under Andy Flower and the latter Ashley Giles. Hailed as the "outstanding coach of his generation" by managing director Paul Downton following a spell with Lancashire which including winning the Championship in 2011.

Moores' first major series comes against Sri Lanka. The one-off T20 is lost and then England are skittled for 99 in the second ODI in Durham, but bounce back to dismantle Sri Lanka for 67 at Old Trafford only to eventually lose the series 3-2.

Another tough month. England lose the Test series against Sri Lanka 1-0 when James Anderson fails by two deliveries to survive the final over at Headingley. That followed a tense draw at Lord's when Sri Lanka finished nine wickets down. However, there are impressive performances by Gary Ballance (debut hundred at Lord's), Joe Root (maiden double hundred), Moeen Ali (maiden hundred) Liam Plunkett (maiden five-wicket haul) and a promising start for Chris Jordan in the Test team.

England go 1-0 down against India with a defeat at Lord's which heaps pressure on captain Alastair Cook, but before the month is over Moores enjoys his first Test victory since returning to the England job as the team produce a convincing all-round display at the Ageas Bowl. There are runs for Cook, Ballance and Root, a resurgence for Anderson and a maiden five-wicket haul for Moeen. Jos Buttler also marks his Test debut with 85.

India are blown away by innings margins in the final two Tests at Old Trafford and The Oval with neither match lasting into the fourth day. Jordan and Chris Woakes now form the pace attack behind Anderson and Stuart Broad. However, the one-day series starts badly with heavy defeats in Cardiff and Nottingham where England's limited-overs tactics are shown to still be way off the pace.

The one-day series against India is decided by a crushing nine-wicket India win at Edgbaston where they chase down 207 with nearly 20 overs to spare, although England manage a consolation victory at Headingley where Root scores a century. The season ends with a victory, too, as England win the one-off T20 at Edgbaston.

A winter season dominated by one-day internationals begins with a 5-2 reversal in Sri Lanka where the limitations of England's top order and a weakened bowling attack are exposed. "I think we've actually made some good strides on this tour in one-day cricket," Moores says after the series defeat. There are a couple of performances for Moores to cling to as Buttler and Root produce impressive innings in the two victories. Shortly after returning home, Cook is sacked as one-day captain and replaced by Eoin Morgan for the World Cup.

Under Morgan, England reach the final of the triangular one-day series in Australia by twice beating India. But they cannot overcome the hosts, losing both group matches against Australia and then getting heavily beaten by 112 runs in the final.

The World Cup begins with a crushing defeat, again by Australia, at the MCG, and is followed by an embarrassing display against New Zealand in Wellington where the co-hosts are within touching distance of knocking off the runs before the scheduled interval.

Another Wellington horror-show for England who are helpless to prevent Sri Lanka chasing down 310 at a canter for the loss of just one wicket. The result leaves them with two must-win matches against Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they are to progress, but they fall at the first hurdle in Adelaide when a limp chase against an inspired Bangladesh side comes up short. Moores survives the embarrassing World Cup, but the feeling of borrowed time is growing.

England fail to bowl out West Indies in more than four session in Antigua, but conjure a final-day victory in Grenada - inspired by Anderson - to take a 1-0 series lead. Ballance, after a woeful World Cup, is back in the runs while Root continues to be prolific.

Despite earning a first-innings lead of 68 on a wearing pitch in Barbados, England cannot secure a series victory. They stumble to 123 all out in their second innings and West Indies, after being in trouble, ease over the line by five wickets. In the aftermath, Moores insists England are improving and pleads for more time to develop the team. He flies straight from the Caribbean to Ireland for the ODI. Is sacked at the end of the match.