The incoming head of English cricket defended the way that Peter Moores was sacked last week and said that "the vacant position is unlikely to be advertised," according to Richard Hobson of the LONDON TIMES. Cricketers Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart "were among those heaping criticism" on the England & Wales Cricket Board after the media reported the news that the head coach had lost his job before Moores was told of his fate. Colin Graves, who is due to replace Giles Clarke as ECB chairman on Thursday, insisted that "the board did the best it could once word spread during the one-day international against Ireland three days ago." Graves: "It seems that it got leaked from somewhere, but that was certainly not by the ECB. It was going to be handled by Andrew Strauss when he officially took over [as director, England cricket]." Moores "flew home from Malahide before the rest of the group and the ECB was forced to bring forward to Saturday confirmation that Strauss will replace Paul Downton, with the departure of Moores set out in another statement." A senior figure at the ECB said, "It has seemed to look very ham-fisted and we could have done without it, but the big decisions are being taken and the nettle is being grasped. The new ECB in terms of its senior management is going to be much more focused and determined and utterly ruthless in putting things right" (LONDON TIMES, 5/11). The BBC reported Graves said that "the decision to sack Moores, which came to light during England's washed out one-day international with Ireland in Dublin, was considered -- as will be the appointment of his successor -- a process to be overseen by Strauss." Assistant coach Paul Farbrace "will take charge of the side for the two-Test series against New Zealand," with Yorkshire head coach Jason Gillespie the favorite to replace Moores on a permanent basis. Graves: "It is Andrew Strauss who takes that call as he builds his team around him. We will not rush into any decision overnight. The Peter Moores decision was not a kneejerk one and this will not be either" (BBC, 5/11).
