Trevor Bayliss: England on verge of appointing Australian as new coach

Replacement found for Peter Moores

Trevor Bayliss (GETTY IMAGES)

Trevor Bayliss is poised to succeed Peter Moores as England coach with an announcement expected imminently.

The Australian, who is currently in charge of New South Wales, is believed to have been offered the job by the ECB. He would become the first Australian to coach England in an Ashes series, with the First Test against the old enemy starting in Cardiff on July 8.

Jason Gillespie, of Yorkshire, appeared the clear favourite for the role for a long time, but he looks likely to be beaten to the job by his fellow Aussie.

England’s new director of cricket, Andrew Strauss, and chief executive Tom Harrison appear to have settled on Bayliss after also holding talks with Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, the former India and South Africa coach. Reports on Sunday morning suggested Bayliss was racing towards the job and these have been confirmed by Standard Sport.

Bayliss, 52, was with Sri Lanka from 2007 to 2011, where he worked alongside Paul Farbrace, who is England’s interim coach. Farbrace would be expected to stay on as No2 were Bayliss to step in.

Bayliss led Sri Lanka to the World Cup final. He has also won the Indian Premier League with Kolkata Knight Riders and the Australian Big Bash with the Sydney Sixers, as well as leading New South Wales to the Sheffield Shield title.

Bayliss can expect to collect a package of about £350,000 a year from the ECB, plus bonuses. He could even start work in time for the Second Investec Test against New Zealand, which starts at Headingley on Friday.

Bayliss was in line for the post when England appointed Moores last year. He told ESPNcricinfo: “They let me know half their thinking was they wanted a local Englishman. I was up front with them as well, I wasn't chasing it, they were the ones ringing me.

“I was quite happy doing what I'm doing. I was happy, if they wanted to take it further it was up to them. But I had no hard feelings over not getting it.”