{"id":835133,"date":"2026-07-31T07:04:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T07:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/835133\/"},"modified":"2026-07-31T07:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-31T07:04:14","slug":"rampant-cronyism-fear-in-poms-coaching-pick-as-baz-like-blunder-already-called-out-uk-view","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/835133\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Rampant cronyism\u2019 fear in Poms coaching pick as Baz-like blunder already called out \u2014 UK View"},"content":{"rendered":"

England\u2019s shift into the post-Bazball era has officially begun, with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming officially appointed<\/a> as countryman Brendon McCullum\u2019s successor as the nation\u2019s Test coach.<\/p>\n

The 53-year old, who has never coached a red-ball team but is the IPL\u2019s most successful coach with five titles, won the job after a selection process that saw former England players Jonathan Trott and Richard Dawson, as well as Australian Tom Moody, considered.<\/p>\n

Watch every ball of Australia vs Bangladesh Test Series live and ad-break free during play with Fox Cricket on Kayo | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Justin Langer and Andy Flower<\/a> were other names reported to be in the mix, but the latter declined to apply while Langer was never interviewed.<\/p>\n

Fleming will work closely with McCullum, who will remain on as ODI and T20I coach, when he begins in December 2026 ahead of England\u2019s tour of South Africa.<\/p>\n

Former England opener Marcus Trescothick will step in as interim coach for the team\u2019s upcoming three-Test home series against Pakistan.<\/p>\n

The appointment, and Fleming\u2019s status as a measured, calm figurehead not dissimilar to Australian coach Andrew McDonald, has already proved popular among English greats.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn cricketing terms, and in his general demeanour, he\u2019s a grown-up, and a grown-up is what is required at this juncture,\u201d former captain Michael Atherton wrote in The Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn outlook, he will not be dramatically different from McCullum, though he will run a tighter ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Atherton, the one time Black Caps Test runs record-holder is an ideal halfway mark between his predecessor\u2019s infamous looseness, which led to disaster in the 2025\/26 Ashes, and a more rigid taskmaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would have been silly to appoint someone at the opposite end of the McCullum spectrum \u2014 a Justin Langer, say \u2014 given what McCullum has achieved and built into the dressing room culture and given that he is still around,\u201d he wrote. <\/p>\n

\u201cSimilar philosophy with a sharper edge and more attention to detail may be the best way to describe Fleming\u2019s likely approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephen Fleming is regarded as one of New Zealand\u2019s greatest ever Test captains. (AP Photo\/NZPA, Ross Setford)Source: AP<\/p>\n

Former England triple-format international Chris Jordan, who has worked closely with Fleming at Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and Southern Brave in The Hundred, praised the 53-year old\u2019s \u201cempathy\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a very relaxed aura about him but he\u2019s still very, very detailed in his planning and his messaging. And he\u2019s very, very good at creating role clarity within a team,\u201d Jordan told The Guardian<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing he identified about the Hundred, he was astute enough to realise that it can be quite chaotic. So he found a way of getting us to find simplicity within the chaos, just with his messaging and his tactical awareness. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s just a very well-rounded coach, and when you start to spend time with him you really get the feeling that you not only want to do well for yourself, but you want to do it for him as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The appointment has also received praise from the other side of the world, with former New Zealand quick turned commentator Simon Doull telling Sky Sports the appointment was \u201cfantastic\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFollowing on from Brendon, I think it is exactly what England need,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

England to announce Fleming as new coach | 00:39<\/p>\n

\u201cTactically, Fleming is incredibly sound. As a captain, he was the best I played under and was highly regarded around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think he has a coaching style as such, but he works incredibly well with whoever he\u2019s got in his team, whether they are young or experienced players.\u201d<\/p>\n

Australian Test star Josh Hazlewood, who played under Fleming at CSK, also had nothing but praise for the New Zealander.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Flem it was such a relaxed atmosphere, similar to what we have here in Australia,\u201d he told News Corp<\/a> of his time at the Super Kings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was very confident and relaxed. He let things run themselves but stepped in when required. He had a real authority about him. I think he is a good choice.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

However, Fleming\u2019s backdated start time, allowing him to spend time with his family for the rest of the year, has been more divisive.<\/p>\n

Former England captain Michael Vaughan slammed the move to not step into the job immediately against Pakistan, citing the issues that could arise from Fleming only coaching one home Test before next year\u2019s blockbuster Ashes series.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is not necessarily about winning the Pakistan series, it is more information gathering,\u201d Vaughan wrote in The Telegraph. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt is about the small details, gaining experience of going to grounds such as Edgbaston \u2013 which hosts an Ashes Test \u2013 getting to know people involved in English cricket and fact-finding about our game by meeting the county coaches who can help him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are the one-per-cent details England let slip during the Brendon McCullum years but are required to win major trophies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vaughan also bemoaned an apparent loss of \u201callure\u201d for the prestigious job evident in Fleming\u2019s delayed appointment, saying it shows \u201ca little bit of desperation\u201d on the England and Wales Cricket board\u2019s behalf.<\/p>\n

Concern has also been raised over Fleming\u2019s close personal connection with McCullum, dating back to mentoring the architect of Bazball during his early days in New Zealand\u2019s Test team.<\/p>\n

The two are close friends and even share business ventures together, such as a stake in QualityNZ, a Kiwi meat company that ships produce to India.<\/p>\n

Brendon McCullum and Stephen Fleming during the 2017 New Zealand Open. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

While Langer himself noted that England\u2019s next Test coach would need to develop a rapport with McCullum, The Telegraph\u2018s cricket correspondent Will Macpherson said the hiring hinted at \u201crampant cronyism\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new coach comes from the same culture as the one he is replacing. Indeed he helped shape McCullum. In these tricky circumstances, they could barely be more aligned,\u201d Macpherson wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir pairing provides the sense that cricket, especially in England, selects from a very small world. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith a bevy of New Zealanders connected to McCullum in the backroom staff and [England managing director Rob] Key\u2019s close relationship with Lions coach Andrew Flintoff, there have been accusations of cronyism and \u201cjobs for the boys\u201d in English cricket. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis does little to dispel that theme.\u201d<\/p>\n

Criticism is also mounting of the call to return to Root as captain, with white-ball skipper Harry Brook snubbed amid concerns over recent off-field misdemeanours as well as a fear he could be overburdened by captaining all formats.<\/p>\n

England level series after Root goes 99* | 01:13<\/p>\n

The veteran, who has enjoyed a stunning four-year run under Ben Stokes since resigning as captain in early 2022, filled in for Stokes during England\u2019s second Test loss to New Zealand in June.<\/p>\n

For Atherton, the \u201cpaucity of options\u201d beyond Root is something Fleming must address as a matter of urgency.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoot\u2019s limitations were revealed in the Test against New Zealand at the Oval last month, when it didn\u2019t take long for his usual equanimity to disappear,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut needs must and Root was never likely to turn down the opportunity to help out. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Root\u2019s appointment is not ideal, it is a better outcome than having Brook at the helm.<\/p>\n

Get all the latest cricket news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/p>\n

Former England batter Mark Butcher was even stronger, saying the move is a \u201cretrograde step\u201d, and that Root should have served as Brook\u2019s vice-captain to help guide him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBen Stokes, Brendon McCullum, Rob Key were the reaction to Joe Root\u2019s captaincy the first time around,\u201d Butcher told Sky Sports. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis revolutionising of the way we play Test match cricket came off the back of 17 Test matches with only one victory under Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing that happened to him and his game was not being captain any more. His batting since has been on a different level and I rather hoped it would stay that way, and he would be a loyal lieutenant to Harry Brook or whoever they decided was going to get the job on a permanent basis.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"England\u2019s shift into the post-Bazball era has officially begun, with former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming officially appointed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":835134,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[564],"tags":[64,63,740,85],"class_list":["post-835133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cricket","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=835133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/835134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=835133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=835133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=835133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}