Morris to step down as England cricket chief

Hugh Morris on Monday confirmed he is set to leave his position as the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director of cricket later this year. Morris took the role in the aftermath of England's 5-0 Test defeat in Australia in 2006-07 and has overseen three consecutive Ashes wins, culminating in the 3-0 rout of Michael Clarke's team that ended with a dramatic drawn fifth Test at The Oval on Sunday. He has accepted the combined position of chief executive and director of cricket with Glamorgan, the county he captained as a player, but it is understood he will remain with the ECB until the conclusion of the Ashes rematch in Australia later this year. Former England captain Andrew Strauss, who retired last year, has been mooted as possible replacement after working for Sky television this summer. "I am very grateful to the committee of Glamorgan for providing me with this opportunity and a new and exciting challenge at this stage of my career. I am grateful to the ECB and England cricket for their support in the last 16 years," Morris said. "I really enjoyed my time as a player with Glamorgan and now my task, which I will take on with relish, is to work with everyone at the club to increase our talent pool -- particularly from Wales," added Cardiff-born Morris, a former opening batsman who played three Tests for England in 1991. England coach Andy Flower is another candidate to replace Morris after reports he wanted to step down from his current position due the strain on his family life. But, asked about possibly replacing Morris at a series review news conference, Flower was keen to stress his focus remains on cricket. "Hugh worked with the ECB for 16 years and is very much a part of the reason for some of the success English cricket has had," Flower said. "He is an excellent man and will be sorely missed by the playing group and certainly by me, who works closely with him. His post will need to be filled by a man of equal calibre." Asked if he could be that man, the former Zimbabwe batsman said: "I don't look too far ahead with regard to my own personal situation and now have the challenge of an away Ashes." Meanwhile Morris said either Strauss or Flower would be a good successor. "Both Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss are fantastic guys, I know them both well and I worked with them for a long time," Morris said. "Whatever job either of them wants to do they will do very well, no doubt about it. "If they fancied this job, or applied, either of them would be great but that is for others to decide." Source: AFP