LONDON: Former Australian cricketer and the head coach of the Australian Women’s Cricket Team, Matthew Motts, has been appointed as the head coach of the England white-ball head coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Wednesday.
Mott, 48, has signed a four-year-long contract with the ECB, and an away three-match ODI series against the Netherlands, is expected to be his first assignment as England’s white-ball head coach.
Former Aussie cricketer Mott has worked with the Australian Women’s Cricket Team since 2015 and has overseen one of the world’s best winning records across international sport during his tenure. The Australian side won consecutive ICC T20 World Cups, this year’s ICC Women’s 50-Over World Cup and are undefeated in four Ashes series.
Mott has also assisted Australia to win 26 consecutive one-day internationals, a record in either the men’s or women’s game.
According to the details, the ECB’s selection panel of Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key, Strategic Adviser Andrew Strauss and Performance Director Mo Bobat unanimously agreed that McCullum is an outstanding candidate for the role, having impressed during the competitive interview process.
Commenting on Mott’s appointment, the newly appointed managing director of ECB Rob Key talked to the media and said that Mott is a perfect fit for the appointment, having been involved in international cricket.
“It is a real privilege to be able to announce Mathew Mott as the Head Coach of our men’s white-ball team. He has had an incredible coaching journey with so many varied experiences that have brought him to this point where he was outstanding in the interview process and the perfect fit for our white-ball teams,” Key said.
“We are lucky to be able to appoint a Head Coach that has not only been involved in international cricket for the last few years but he has also worked in franchise cricket around the world. More importantly, what he has done with the Australian Women’s team is what will be asked of him to achieve for our men’s white-ball sides,” he added.
The ECB Managing Director further expressed his confidence in the captain Eoin Morgan and coach Mott and believe that the partnership can push for more trophies in the coming years.
“I’m confident that in Eoin Morgan and Matthew Mott, we have a formidable partnership that can push for more trophies in the coming years and that Matthew will be able to oversee any transition that team will go through in the future,” he concluded.
Mott expressed his delight at his new position, noting that while being an Australian, he has strong ties to the United Kingdom and that the opportunity to work with a well-established team drew him in.
“I am delighted to accept the opportunity to take this white-ball role with England. Whilst I am Australian, I have deep connections, and several of my closest friends are in the UK, having spent considerable time in Scotland, Wales and England, both as a player and coach,” Mott said.
“When this role became available, I was attracted by the chance to work with such an established and successful team under the astute leadership of Eoin Morgan and now Rob Key, whom I have always admired as an excellent cricket mind,” he added.
The former Australian coach also praised the idea of split roles and shared that he is enthusiastic to work alongside the red-ball coach Brendon McCullum.
“The idea of the split roles and the chance to work alongside Brendon McCullum in his red-ball role is an opportunity that I am incredibly enthusiastic about and certainly provides the right balance for my family as we embark on this exciting journey,” he concluded.
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