New Zealander Stephen Fleming, England's new Test coach, has suggested the national team should be led by someone from England. Fleming will take charge of his first series in South Africa in December, and he is the latest overseas coach to lead the England men's team. Since 1999, only two Englishmen, Peter Moores (twice) and Chris Silverwood, have been in charge of the Test side, while England have been led by two Zimbabweans, Duncan Fletcher and Andy Flower, and Australian Trevor Bayliss.
Fleming's backroom team is heavily weighted towards homegrown coaches. Marcus Trescothick, who was in interim charge of the Test team earlier this year, is joined by James Foster and Richard Dawson. Jonathan Trott, an Ashes winner with England, is about to begin a spell in charge of England Lions. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Fleming said it will be a priority of his tenure to help develop English coaches. "I do believe that primarily the national team should be coached by a national representative," he said.
Fleming also plans to invite county coaches and former England players into the set-up. He confirmed he will spend part of next summer watching county cricket in the build-up to the home Ashes series. One criticism of Brendon McCullum's four-year spell in charge of the Test team was his limited time spent around the county game. Fleming, who played for Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Middlesex, said he has enjoyed reconnecting with former teammates now working in county coaching roles.
Fleming was appointed in July but did not take charge for the series against Pakistan in August and September. His first series at the helm will be three Tests in South Africa in December and January, and the squad is due to be named in the first week of November.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing