England aim to recover from chastening start to Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott’s white-ball reign against South Africa… with series coming less than 48 HOURS after suffering defeat against India
- England facing South Africa less than 48 hours after ending series against India
- Series defeat threw up more questions than answers for life after Eoin Morgan
- It was perceived Matthew Mott had the cushier deal when coaching was split
- But Australian finds himself dealing with the threat of the end of a white-ball era
England must look beyond the emotion of Ben Stokes last 50-over game on Tuesday and attempt to recover from a chastening start to the white-ball reign of Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott.
The packed schedule that has hastened Stokes retirement from one-day cricket sees England facing South Africa at Durham less than 48 hours after ending a series against India that threw up more questions than answers for life after Eoin Morgan – and now Stokes.
It was perceived Mott had the cushier end of the deal when England decided to revert to two coaches but while their Test cricket has taken off under Brendon McCullum and Stokes, the Australian finds himself dealing with the threat of the end of a white-ball era.
England must attempt to recover from a chastening start to the white-ball reign of Matthew Mott
England must look beyond the emotion of Ben Stokes last 50-over game on Tuesday
What Mott has to do now is prove Rob Key was right to appoint an experienced coach knowing England would need something of a re-set after Morgan’s departure and this three-match 50-over series followed by a T20 one gives Mott the ideal chance to start again.
Mott admitted he was surprised by the timing of the departure of the captain in Morgan he was initially brought in to work with.
‘I won’t lie, I didn’t think Eoin would go this quickly,’ said Mott, speaking before the shock news of Stokes 50-over retirement.
‘But when I was going through the process he was quite open that he was trying to get through to the T20 World Cup (in October) and then reassess.
Jos Buttler’s men face South Africa in Durham less than 48 hours after ending the India series
‘I knew he wouldn’t go on forever but I felt lucky he was on that first trip to Holland to show me the ropes and how the team ticks. Most mornings I still catch up with him, say g’day and get his thoughts. He’ll be a great sounding board for Jos and myself outside the team.’
Mott insists there are similarities between the way Morgan began as captain in the 2015 World Cup and what he and Buttler are experiencing now.
‘There’s no doubt Eoin’s legacy is huge and his leadership is renowned but at the start it wasn’t like that,’ added Mott. ‘You get judged at the end of your tenure, not at the start.’
England will welcome back Adil Rashid after he missed both series against India because he was making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
They are also set to give a one-day debut to Matthew Potts on his home ground. But all eyes will be on another man of Durham in Stokes.
Mott admitted he was surprised by the timing of the departure of the captain in Eoin Morgan
England will welcome back Adil Rashid after the leg-spinner made the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
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