Quick single: The Moores loop

On today’s events, a senior ECB official commented:

I have the greatest respect for the dignity which Peter Moores has shown in recent days when he has found himself under extreme pressure. The ECB wishes him well in his future roles. I would also like to thank him for his contribution as England team director..

No, no. Hang on.. That was six years ago.

Today a senior ECB official stated:

Peter is a man of great integrity and has offered a huge amount to England cricket. He is admired by the players, his colleagues at the ECB and right across the game and deserves both our deep thanks and the widest recognition for his commitment and contribution.

It sounds like he was rated even more highly this time around by his employers.

I spent an hour in Moores’ company shortly before this second loop began. Whilst I found him to have a genuine and humane interest in his players as people, I struggled to see his slogan-based approach to coaching engaging a group of top class, egotistical sportsmen. “Belief is the enemy of doubt,” was an adage he held close. It troubled me, but may sustain Moores right now as he finds his career on a familiar trajectory.

In this age of Ashes overload, Moores has the odd distinction of completing two loops as England coach without ever being head coach in a Test against Australia. He departs, frustrated that he has not been given time to develop an inexperienced England side. He is right to be frustrated; but so are those of us who doubted that his reappointment could be any more successful this time around.