New test coach Fleming targets England’s return to top ranking
England’s new test cricket coach Stephen Fleming has set his sights on taking the team back to number one in the world for the first time in more than a decade.
The former New Zealand captain was appointed in July but has just taken the reins after sitting out the 3-0 victory over Pakistan due to family commitments.
Fleming immediately made his ultimate aim clear: to lift the side from fifth in the ICC test rankings back to the summit for the first time since 2012 and put right the team’s dreadful record in the World Test Championship.
“I would love to be in charge of the number one test team in the world. That would be my aspiration,” he said. “There have been some really good moments (for this side), but I think there’s more to give.
“One of the dark arts of coaching is timing and my honest appraisal is that it’s a great time to be the head coach. It’s one of the most prestigious jobs in cricket. I was very honoured to be asked. The opportunity to take up this role was one you don’t turn down.”
England have never come close to reaching the WTC final in the four editions since it was launched - and lie sixth in the current table - but Fleming is keen to oversee a change of emphasis when it comes to that competition.
“England could do much better than that,” Fleming said. “If that’s one of the pinnacle trophies in world cricket, why would we not be trying to get it along with every other marquee event that comes our way? “It’s aspirational and that’s why I’m here. That opportunity is real, but there’s a huge amount of work to do.”
That work does not entail convincing former captain Ben Stokes to reverse his dramatic decision to retire from international cricket and play a part in next year’s Ashes. Stokes has continued playing for Durham and has also signed up for a stint with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League. And speculation that he might make a grand return for one last crack at Australia next summer refuses to go away.
“I went up to Durham and spoke to Ben, which was good. He’s really happy and seemed to be really at peace with his decision,” Fleming said.
