Paul Farbrace to leave England ahead of World Cup and Ashes summer

The man who kick-started England’s white-ball revolution will leave ahead of the fruition of his work at the World Cup this summer.

Paul Farbrace, the assistant coach and strong right-hand man of Trevor Bayliss, is replacing Ashley Giles as Warwickshire’s sport director and will head to Edgbaston as soon as England complete their Caribbean tour with five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches against West Indies.

It means Farbrace, 51, will leave England before their biggest summer in modern memory, their attempt to win a first ever 50-over World Cup being followed by a home Ashes series against Australia.

Paul Farbrace is set to leave his role as England assistant coach after the West Indies tour

The man who spearheaded England’s white-ball revolution is moving to Warwickshire

The former Kent and Middlesex wicketkeeper was put in charge as interim coach after the departure of Peter Moores in 2015 and so began a revolution in England’s limited-overs cricket which has seen them rise from laughing stock of the international game to become the best 50-over side in the world.

‘I have had five fantastic years with England cricket,’ said Farbrace here in Barbados ahead of England’s white-ball warm-up match on Sunday. 

‘It has been a brilliant experience working with world-class coaches, players and support staff.

‘There is never a great time to leave an international set-up and despite what will be a fantastic summer for English cricket, the opportunity to shape the future of one of the game’s biggest counties was too much to resist.

Farbrace will replace England’s new director of cricket Ashley Giles (centre) at the county

Along with coach Trevor Bayliss he helped England reclaim the Ashes in 2015

‘It would have been tough for me to have turned down the opportunity once Warwickshire showed an interest in me. 

‘I am grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my career development.’

The vacancy was created by Giles leaving Edgbaston to become England’s team director and he said today: ‘Paul was integral alongside Andrew Strauss, Trevor Bayliss and Eoin Morgan in transforming our white-ball strategy which has seen us become the best team in the world leading into a World Cup year. 

‘His efforts in developing players in the elite environment will benefit him in his new role at Edgbaston.

‘He is an ambitious professional and highly regarded and respected in the game and the opportunity at Warwickshire is something that would have been difficult for him to turn down. I respect his desire to take this on.’

Bowling coach Chris Silverwood (left) is among those in the frame to replace Farbrace

Paul Collingwood has also been touted, with Bayliss (right) leaving his role in September

England will now need a new assistant coach for their biggest ever year with Paul Collingwood, here as white-ball fielding coach, and bowling coach Chris Silverwood both highly regarded and very much in the frame.

Bayliss will leave after the Ashes in September and Giles is currently looking into what coaching structure England will have to replace him. 

The smart money is on one head coach replacing Bayliss, with South Africa coach Ottis Gibson and Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur among the candidates, and two assistants with extra responsibility for white and red-ball cricket supporting him. 

Collingwood and Silverwood will be the favourites to fill those roles but former Essex coach Silverwood also has his supporters for the big job.