Mark Ramprakash has lost his job as England’s batting coach, with Graham Thorpe expected to take over for this summer’s Ashes.
Ramprakash has worked with the national side since 2014, most recently focusing on the Test team while Thorpe has worked regularly in the one-day set-up.
Former Middlesex and Surrey batsman Ramprakash was contracted until the end of the summer but has been ousted ahead of schedule, almost certainly at the instigation of new director of men’s cricket, Ashley Giles.
Ramprakash, whose last England assignment was the 2-1 Test series defeat against the West Indies, tweeted the news on Friday.
“I’ve just been informed that I will not be involved in the Ashes series,” the 49-year-old wrote.
“It’s been a huge privilege to support the team over the last 5 years. I’d like to wish all the staff and players the very best of luck for the future.”
Thorpe is highly rated by the England and Wales Cricket Board, but was not always keen to accept a full-time touring role. He is now understood to be ready for that commitment.
Ramprakash is the second senior member of the backroom team to leave ahead of head coach Trevor Bayliss’ departure at the end of his contract in September.
Bayliss’ right-hand man, Paul Farbrace, begins work as Warwickshire’s sporting director next week.
Thorpe, alongside bowling coach Chris Silverwood and Paul Collingwood, look set to form the crux of England’s backroom team in the future.
An ECB spokesman said: “We will finalise the coaching set-up for the Ashes in the next couple of weeks. Mark Ramprakash will not be part of the coaching set-up for the Ashes.”
England’s inconsistencies with the bat – and the tendency to collapse in dramatic fashion on occasion – have led to scrutiny on Ramprakash’s position in the last couple of years.
However, former England captain Nasser Hussain argued that the players must ultimately accept the consequences of their failures.
He said on Sky Sports: “Mark Ramprakash has been left with a very vulnerable looking batting line-up in the Test matches and they have not been overly successful.
“It’s been hard work. He has to take some of the responsibility for that, but mainly it’s the players who need to take responsibility. A different batting coach doesn’t make our top three any better overnight, it’s the batsmen that need to take responsibility.”
Provided by Press Association Sport
