Chris Silverwood leaves as England head coach after Ashes defeat

Head coach Chris Silverwood has followed director of cricket Ashley Giles in leaving the England men's team following the heavy Ashes defeat.

The 4-0 loss in Australia came part of a wider run that has seen England win only one of their past 14 Tests.

Silverwood, 46, was appointed in 2019 by Giles, who stood down on Wednesday.

Sir Andrew Strauss has temporarily taken over from Giles and will appoint an interim coach for the tour of West Indies in March.

A squad for the three-Test series is due to be named next week.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison said: «During his time in the role Chris has given absolutely everything to make a success of it. He is a man of great integrity, who players and staff alike have enjoyed working with.

»In the coming days Andrew Strauss will appoint a caretaker coach for the tour of the West Indies and will then consider the appropriate coaching structures to help England move forwards."

Silverwood, a former fast bowler who played six Tests for England, said: «It's been an absolute honour to be England head coach and I'm extremely proud to have worked alongside our players and staff.

»I leave with fond memories and I am now looking forward to spending some quality time at home with my family and embracing the next chapter."

Having been given the responsibility of head selector by Giles in April of last year, Silverwood was the most powerful England coach since Raymond Illingworth in the mid-1990s.

His elevation to the top coaching job in English cricket came after he led Essex to promotion from Division Two of the County Championship, then the Division One title in successive years

When he was chosen as England coach, it came after Giles had expressed his desire for a