The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsEngland are reported to have offered the head coach’s role to Trevor Bayliss, the former Sri Lankan coach who is currently in charge of both the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders and the Big Bash’s Sydney Sixers.
With Jason Gillespie the bookies favourite for so long, seemingly bypassed in favour of his fellow Aussie Bayliss, England look set to have gone for a coach with international experience rather than that of an up and coming former test player.
Bayliss was in charge of Sri Lanka between 2007 and 2011 and led them to the World Cup Final where they were beaten by India but his reputation as a coach is impressive and with the Aussie in charge of two of the high profile T20 sides in both the IPL and the Big Bash, England look set to appoint a coach who can have a significant interest in all 3 forms of the game.
Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss will come under scrutiny for the likely appointment of Bayliss with many of cricket’s pundits such as Michael Vaughan and Nassar Hussain endorsing Gillespie as coach. However with the experience of Bayliss and the likely retention of Paul Farbrace as assistant coach, England look set to move into a new era and forge a new brand of cricket.
