Andrew Strauss had to use the strength of the pound to secure England’s new head coach, it has been claimed, after Trevor Bayliss reportedly said no to the job during the early stages of negotiations.
The 52-year-old Bayliss was announced as the permanent replacement for the sacked Peter Moores on Tuesday after beating Yorkshire’s Jason Gillespie to the job and will take charge of the senior men’s side in time for the first Ashes Test in Cardiff on 8 July.
But according to the former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson, who has been working alongside Bayliss at New South Wales – the job he now leaves – Strauss had his original overtures rebuffed last week only to come back, undeterred, with a fresh offer.
Those close to Bayliss claim England’s new director of cricket then matched his salary at New South Wales and the Indian Premier League side Kolkata Knight Riders in sterling – which is at a six‑year-high exchange rate of A$1.95 – thus almost doubling the former batsman’s earnings. That figure is understood to be close to £400,000 a year.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lawson added that along with the money, Bayliss was also drawn by the opportunity to be reunited with the England assistant coach, Paul Farbrace, whom he worked alongside in the Sri Lanka setup six years ago. “A major factor is Farbrace. They’ve got a very good working relationship and Trevor likes to have people around him he knows he can trust and knows what they can produce,” said Lawson. “And they made him a very good offer.”
Farbrace will continue to operate as interim coach until the arrival of Bayliss late next month and took charge of training at Headingley on Wednesday, when England looked to loosen up after their 124-run win at Lord’s in time for Friday’s second Test against New Zealand.
Joe Root was delighted to be back at what the vice-captain and Yorkshire batsman calls “the real home of cricket” and revealed there is excitement among the squad about the arrival of the Australian after being given the lowdown from Farbrace.
“I have never met Trevor but I have heard a lot of good stuff about him,” said Root. “Farby knows him very well and speaks very highly of him so we’re looking forward to getting him over and meeting him. He has obviously got a fantastic record with the sides he has worked with.”
Speaking about the prospect of having an Australian in charge for this summer’s Ashes, Root added: “I think [nine] of the Australia squad he’s worked with before in New South Wales so that obviously will be a slight advantage.” More pressing for England is the second Test, when a draw would secure victory in the two-match series and mean Alastair Cook’s side jump two places to third in the ICC rankings, behind Australia and the top side, South Africa.
Root is mindful that England’s previous Test win – the nine-wicket victory over West Indies in Grenada – was followed by defeat in Barbados, meaning the series ended in a draw, a result that ultimately cost Moores his job.
“That was such a disappointing game in Barbados because of the one hour we were poor,” said Root. “It is about making sure small periods of play don’t cost us and trying to limit them to as few as possible. Fingers crossed Lord’s was not just a one‑off and it is the start of us moving forwards as a side.”
Much of the attention during the three‑day turnaround between matches has been on Ben Stokes, who followed scores of 92 and 101 with the bat and figures of three for 38 in the fourth innings at Lord’s by scoring the winning goal in England’s pre-training game of football on Wednesday.
Root sees the Durham all-rounder remaining unaffected by the hype. “The thing about Ben is, every time he pulls on the shirt he gives absolutely everything,” he said. “I don’t think that is going to change.
“When he is bowling, he will run in until he barely can’t move any more. And when he is batting, he is a free spirit who plays his shots and puts sides under pressure.
“He is one of those blokes you want in the side because he rubs off on you and gives everything.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Pietersen has confirmed he will play for Surrey in the Division Two County Championship fixture against Lancashire at The Oval after recovering from an achilles injury that ruled him out of the latter stages of the IPL.
