Moores still backs himself as coach

England

Coach Peter Moores has suggested England are suffering severe side effects in the wake of a heavy five-nil Test series loss at the hands of Australia earlier this year.

Coach Peter Moores has suggested England are suffering severe side effects in the wake of a heavy five-nil Test series loss at the hands of Australia earlier this year.

The English have since slipped to a historic defeat to Sri Lanka at Headingley in Leeds – and lost the second Test against India by 95 runs at Lord's in London on Monday.

Captain Alastair Cook's stretch without a century in the longest format of the international game is nearing 30 innings – and the veteran Matt Prior has been sidelined by Achilles heel surgery.

"The winter was tough. For some people, it will forge them and make them better over time, for some, it might not. It depends how you respond to it. But it was a tough experience – of that, there is no doubt," said Moores.

"We all know Test cricket is a challenge the longer you're in it. What has got to happen is the senior players have got to look at their own games and decide how they are going to come back and play to the level needed to be in a successful England team."

England orchestrated plenty of changes among the coaching staff after the tour of Australia, with Moores hired as predecessor Andy Flower's replacement, batting coach Graham Gooch removed. Former Sri Lanka coach Paul Farbrace, too, was employed as Moores' immediate assistant.

"Of course, I back myself as a coach. If I didn't, I wouldn't do the job. If you're worth your salt, you're going to reflect on your bit – 'what could I have done better?' If you didn't, you're not going to keep improving. We ask players to improve, so coaches have to," added Mooores.

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