Burnt in the Ashes, but no clean-up: ECB decides against sacking Ben Stokes and McCullum
The review, which was announced soon after the final Test in January, was completed on Monday. ECB chief executive Richard Gould said removing individuals would have been the easier option but the board has chosen not to take that route.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday decided not to make any changes to its leadership group after England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, following a review of the tour. Firing people would “be the easy thing to do,” Gould said but he insisted, "This is not the time to throw everything out. " Managing director Rob Key, head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes will continue in their roles.
England, described as their strongest side to tour Australia in 14 years, lost the Ashes within 11 days, with two Tests still to be played. “Moving people on can sometimes be the easy thing to do. That’s not the route that we’re going to take,” Gould said, as cited by news agency Associated Press.
“I’ve seen the driving ambition and determination that we’re lucky enough to have within our leadership group to take the lessons from the Ashes and move forward. ” Gould, who previously served as chief executive of Bristol City football club, said cricket operates differently from football and does not follow a hire-and-fire approach. “Cricket is a very unique sport in that it takes a team of leadership ...
it’s not like football where there’s a single point of failure or success with a manager," he said. He added the ECB would not “select or deselect management based on a popularity campaign. ” The review identified issues around preparation, player behaviour and selection decisions during the tour.