England hires New Zealander Fleming to coach test team and reappoints Root as captain

LONDON (AP) — English cricket turned to another New Zealander on Thursday to coach the men’s test team, hiring former Kiwi star Stephen Fleming with batting great Joe Root reappointed as captain.

Fleming replaced his former teammate Brendon McCullum, who was fired after losing the Ashes series in Australia 4-1 over the winter and, last month, losing at home to New Zealand 2-1.

England now has an all-New Zealand coaching set-up with McCullum remaining in charge of the one-day and Twenty20 teams.

Fleming won’t take charge until after Pakistan’s three-test tour, which begins on Aug. 19 in Leeds. McCullum’s former assistant Marcus Trescothick will be the interim England coach for that series.

Root was previously the permanent test captain from 2017-22 in a national record 65 tests. He won a record 27 of those matches but has won only one of his last 18 in charge.

The 35-year-old Root formally replaces Ben Stokes, who retired suddenly from international cricket after the New Zealand series in June. Stokes had endorsed his vice-captain Harry Brook as the next captain.

Fleming said he was excited to work with Root and Brook, adding “I know what it feels like to have the weight of leadership and international cricket take their toll.”

Fleming was New Zealand’s longest-serving captain across 80 tests and won 28 of them. He played for three English county teams and won a league title with Nottinghamshire in 2005.

“English cricket gave that to me and it is a privilege to have this chance to give something back,” he said in a statement.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said it was allowing Fleming to spend time with family as he stepped down from his role at the Chennai Super Kings only this month. Fleming led Chennai to a record five titles and 10 finals in the Indian Premier League. He also coached sister franchises in South Africa and the United States.

He will prepare England for three tests in South Africa in December-January. He has only seven tests in charge to ready England for the home Ashes series next year.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket