England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher expected to resign

England coach Duncan Fletcher is widely expected to resign after his team's last World Cup match against the West Indies.

Photo: England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher expected to resign

England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman David Morgan is expected to announce at a news conference later Thursday that Fletcher is stepping down.

National Cricket Centre Coach Peter Moores is set to replace the 58-year-old Fletcher.

Fletcher's position has come under increasing doubt as England stumbled out of the World Cup. England was also thrashed 5-0 by Australia to lose the Ashes test series, and performed badly in the ICC Trophy six months ago.

The team's tactics have been criticized as overcautious and unambitious, with Fletcher favoring the team that won the Ashes in 2005 over players in better recent form.

The day after Tuesday's humiliating nine-wicket defeat to South Africa that eliminated England from the tournament, Fletcher refused to address the media and instead played golf with his captain Michael Vaughan, whose position is also under threat.

Vaughan, however, is a widely respected captain, but his batting form has been poor since he returned from injury after the Ashes series.

In 85 one-day internationals, Vaughan has not scored a century, while he took 20 balls to get off the mark before scoring a scratchy 17 against South Africa.

Vaughan is expected to be replaced in the one-day team, but encouraged to continue his test career.

The Yorkshire batsman has already called for a detailed look into the team's one-day strategy to try and make England more competitive at World Cups. England has not reached the semifinals at the World Cup since 1992.

The Zimbabwe-born Fletcher appears to be paying the price for failing to improve the one-day team's results. He has been coach of England for eight years.