Matthew Mott named England white-ball head coach

Matthew Mott has been named England white-ball head coach after leaving his role as Australia women’s head coach.

Mott has guided Australia to a dominant win streak of 26 one-day internationals - a record in either the men’s or women’s game.

Moreover, Mott has delivered consecutive Twenty20 World Cups and this year’s ODI World Cup, while also remaining undefeated in four Ashes series.

“I am delighted to accept the opportunity to take this white-ball role with England,” Mott said after being appointed. “Whilst I am Australian, I have deep connections, and several of my closest friends are in the UK, having spent considerable time in Scotland, Wales and England, both as a player and coach.

“When this role became available, I was attracted by the chance to work with such an established and successful team under the astute leadership of Eoin Morgan and now Rob Key, whom I have always admired as an excellent cricket mind.

“The idea of the split roles and the chance to work alongside Brendon McCullum in his red-ball role is an opportunity that I am incredibly enthusiastic about and certainly provides the right balance for my family as we embark on this exciting journey. It was always going to take something special to leave the role that I have loved for the past seven years with the Australian Women’s team. However, I genuinely believe that the time is right to play a role in helping the England Men’s ODI and T20 group continue to evolve as one of the best teams in the world.

“I am fully aware that this team has been functioning well and part of my initial plan is to work with the playing group and support staff on how we can firstly maintain, then enhance, the success they have started to build over the past few years. Since the excitement of accepting this role, I, like many people around the world, have been trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of my great mate Andrew Symonds. The support of his beautiful family and close friends in the coming days will be vitally important, so I respectfully request some time to process his passing and the immense loss before making any further comment on the role at this stage.”

While Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key added: “It is a real privilege to be able to announce Mathew Mott as the Head Coach of our men’s white-ball team. He has had an incredible coaching journey with so many varied experiences that have brought him to this point where he was outstanding in the interview process and the perfect fit for our white-ball teams.

“We are lucky to be able to appoint a Head Coach that has not only been involved in international cricket for the last few years but he has also worked in franchise cricket around the world. More importantly, what he has done with the Australian Women’s team is what will be asked of him to achieve for our men’s white-ball sides. I’m confident that in Eoin Morgan and Matthew Mott, we have a formidable partnership that can push for more trophies in the coming years and that Matthew will be able to oversee any transition that team will go through in the future.

“Furthermore, Matthew will also help us invest in English coaches getting them as much experience as possible over the next few years.”

The 48-year-old has an existing relationship with Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand captain who was confirmed as the new England Test coach last week.

The pair worked together when Mott served as a consultant with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

Mott also enjoyed a fine spell as head coach of New South Wales, clinching the Champions League T20 tournament in 2009, as well as time spent with Glamorgan.

England’s managing director Rob Key has moved to split the coaching role between red and white-ball, with the only previous instance occurring from 2012 to 2014 with Andy Flower and Ashley Giles in charge.

Mott, who has an aggressive cricket philosophy to compliment McCullum, places great importance in player responsibility and outlined his view on the game last year: “The single most used excuse is, I just didn't know my role and I wasn't clear on my role. So we’re trying to get ahead of that and navigate that and be crystal clear on each person's role in that team and they sign off on it, so they're informed about their role and are actually accountable.”