Fletcher tenure to end Saturday

England coach Duncan Fletcher is expected to submit his resignation to the ECB after his side’s final World Cup match, against the West Indies, on Saturday.

Fletcher has come under immense scrutiny after his side was eliminated by South Africa earlier in the week. That match was one to forget for England as they went down by nine wickets.

Fletcher has been under the pump ever since England’s horror 06/07 tour of Australia, where his side lost the Ashes, 5-0. If the calls for his head were loud then, now they are deafening.

Earlier in the week, former England captain Ian Botham spoke of the need to get rid of the current coach.

“We have good players but they need a new direction,” he said.

“Duncan has done some great things for England and we shouldn’t forget that but everyone has a shelf life and his has expired.”

“The camp looks split and in disarray. I don’t see how he can motivate them now.

“I hope the ECB are thinking that way and looking at change, not sitting on their hands.

“The World Cup (challenge) is over, England have been humiliated, change things now.”

Another former captain Bob Willis echoed Botham’s sentiments.

“Graveney, Fletcher and Vaughan – they’ve all got to go,” he said.

“We have got to start planning now for the next World Cup, which is on the sub-continent. They should get out the birth certificates and anyone who is 32 or over now – they’re out of it.

“We have got to go back to preparing a side specifically for that tournament in four years time and get young players into the side. That preparation should start with the one-day internationals against the West Indies this summer.”

Fletcher has been the England coach since 1999 and is credited as being the mastermind and chief architect of England’s famous 2005 Ashes victory.