James Anderson confirms Peter Moores in contention for vacant England job as Lancashire coach admits 'frustration' over 2009 sacking

Jimmy Anderson yesterday offered a glowing reference for Peter Moores’s application to become England’s new coach. Anderson believes Moores helped lay the foundations during his first spell in charge of the national side for England’s back-to-back Ashes successes in 2009 and 2010 and has the “whole package” when it comes to coaching.

Moores, Anderson’s county coach at Lancashire, yesterday confirmed he is one of a four-man shortlist along with Ashley Giles, Mike Newell and the Australian Trevor Bayliss who are being considered to replace Andy Flower.

“I’m a passionate Englishman and the thought of working and coaching your country is something I’m interested in,” said Moores, who was dismissed after two years in the role in 2009 following a very public falling out with Kevin Pietersen, then England captain.

“There is an excitement to have another go at it. There was a frustration last time. It was great to watch after I’d gone to see lots of those things under Andy and Andy Strauss come through and do brilliantly so yes there is a draw to go back.”

After Moores and Pietersen were sacked, although Pietersen remained as a player, Flower took over and led England to a home Ashes success that year and then an historic triumph in Australia the following year. According to Anderson those victories were due in part to Moores.

“100 per cent,” said Anderson. “He started off one of the best periods as a team we’ve had for many years. I think Andy Flower would also say he learnt a lot being assistant to Peter. I think he deserves some credit [for England’s success].”

Anderson played under Moores for England and then at Lancashire, where the county won a first championship for 77 years. They have since been relegated to Division Two but Moores brought them straight back up again last season and they will begin this one as one of the contenders to win the title.

“I like working with him,” said Anderson. “I have worked with him at Lancashire and England and he’s been fantastic with me. I’ve always enjoyed working with him and he’s done a great job here with Lancashire.  He brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm. That is the first thing that hits you when you go into a dressing room with him. Also to back that up he’s an extremely good technical coach. He helps me with my bowling, and batting and fielding. He’s got all bases covered with regards to skill based work. He’s got the whole package.

“A lot of the guys here have flourished with him as a coach. I’m sure he will admit he made a couple of mistakes when he was coach of England and I’m sure he’s learnt from that.”

In the wake of England’s embarrassment at the World Twenty20, the 51-year-old Moores has emerged as favourite for the England job with Giles’s stock damaged by presiding over the hefty defeat by the Netherlands as well as the one-day defeat in Australia. Moores succeeded Duncan Fletcher following the disastrous 2006/7 tour to Australia – as with the Pietersen fall-out, this is not virgin territory for England – and acknowledges he made mistakes in the job.  

“I have had a long time, five or six years out of that, when you reflect on things that worked, areas you got right and areas where you think, yes I could really have tackled that in a slightly different way,” said Moores, a former Sussex wicketkeeper. “I did make mistakes. I look back at things and yes there were definitely areas we could have tackled differently. I’ve coached now for almost as long as I’ve played, roughly 16 years of each. That’s a long time to have coached. And you learn different things along the way, evolve as a coach.”