Chris Silverwood has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Trevor Bayliss as the England head coach after Ashley Giles, the national team’s director of cricket, revealed he is set on appointing one individual for the role.
Giles rejoined the Caribbean tour in time to see England’s astonishing six-wicket victory against West Indies on Wednesday and after consulting with members of the Test and one-day setups on his two visits – including the respective team captains Joe Root and Eoin Morgan – he has veered away from splitting the position by way of format.
He instead wants one coach to replace Bayliss in September, with three assistants sitting beneath in a structure that will also be implemented for the World Cup. Paul Collingwood, in Barbados as a consultant, has been confirmed as the replacement for Paul Farbrace (albeit not No 2), with the batting coach Graham Thorpe and Silverwood, who leads the bowlers, the other two.
But with Giles hopeful of appointing an Englishman, Silverwood’s previous time in charge of Essex, where he oversaw promotion and then the County Championship title in 2017, could lead to his stepping up to the main vacancy. Ottis Gibson, the South Africa head coach, and Mickey Arthur, who heads up Pakistan, are also candidates.
“I’ll put my cards on the table: my feelings now are 99.9% that we should have one head coach,” Giles said. “It has been very much front and centre of everything I think about – it is such a big decision. One coach gives us stability in culture as well as in voice.”
On candidates within the existing England setup, Giles said: “I think Chris Silverwood would be one of them, which is pleasing because there would be a concern that we just have to go outside.
“We see the same names being bandied around – some very good coaches – but having seen what he did at Essex, it was a remarkable turnaround. They were a bit of a shambles and he came in and in two years turned them around completely. He’s a tough bloke, has got a fair amount of discipline and communicates really well.
“Nationality doesn’t matter – we need the best person. But it would be nice at some point for us to have an English head coach. We’ve had one absolute head coach [Peter Moores] in 20 years and he’s done it twice. That is not great for coach development.”
Giles also gave an endorsement of Ed Smith’s work as national selector – albeit with a concession that England were “too funky” with their team for the one-sided first Test in Barbados last month – after the Twenty20 squad for this tour was announced.
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have been allowed to rest despite stints in the Indian Premier League, with Dawid Malan and Sam Billings handed returns to the squad. Jason Roy also steps down to cater for his expected paternity leave.
More immediate thoughts turned to Friday’s second ODI at the Kensington Oval, however, and a match that will be played on a surface that looks identical to the one laid out for the series opener 48 hours earlier. In that run‑fest England knocked off a target of 361 runs with eight balls and six wickets to spare thanks to contrasting centuries from Roy (belligerent) and Root (measured).
What was remarkable was how unremarkable Morgan’s team made their highest successful run chase look. Roy revealed it was the captain’s words at the mid-innings break that helped to break down the task, placing the 23 sixes struck by West Indies – 12 of which flew off the blade of Chris Gayle – into context.
“He stood up and spoke and turned 360 to 320, with the wind and the fast outfield,” said Roy, who made 123 from 85 balls. “So we just thought: ‘OK, 320 is still an ask but with our batting lineup and our capabilities we know we can chase it.”
Ben Stokes was England’s standout bowler, with his figures of three for 37 in the middle overs coming via an array of slower balls. To that end, the variations of Tom Curran have entered England’s thoughts. Much will depend on how attack leader Chris Woakes – the only bowler not launched into or over the stands by Gayle – shapes up following a recent knee injury. If he is fit, Liam Plunkett, who went at nine an over, could make way.
England (possible): Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chirs Woakes, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran, Mark Wood
West Indies (possible): Chris Gayle, John Campbell, Shai Hope (wk), Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Carlos Brathwaite, Jason Holder (capt), Devendra Bishoo, Ashley Nurse, Oshane Thomas
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