England sack coach Lewis after Ashes humiliation

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England has dismissed head coach Jon Lewis following a disastrous Ashes series in which they experienced a complete 16-0 loss against Australia.

Lewis, who took on the role in November 2022, was let go after a review of the tour conducted by Clare Connor, the director of women’s cricket for England.

Last week, the former England bowler met with Connor and Jonathan Finch, the high-performance manager.

Lewis is the first to pay the price for the embarrassing tour in Australia, marking the first occurrence of either team losing all matches in an Ashes series since the adoption of the multi-format points system in 2013.

This dismal performance followed a winter during which England faced a dismal early departure at the T20 World Cup.

A series of missed catches severely impacted them, leading to their defeat against West Indies, which resulted in their exit during the group stage.

After the Ashes, the 49-year-old Lewis expressed his wish to continue as head coach, while captain Heather Knight indicated she would take time to contemplate her future.

There remains a possibility that Knight could continue as captain under a new head coach.

Lewis remarked, "I have greatly enjoyed my time as England head coach. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to complete this extremely challenging yet rewarding task of cultivating this young team while successfully advancing women’s cricket in this nation. I am committed to helping propel women’s cricket forward in whatever my next opportunity may be. I wish all the players the best and am grateful to have been part of their journeys."

Potential candidates to succeed Lewis might include former England captain Charlotte Edwards and a similarly named Jon Lewis, who currently leads the England A team.

Mark Robinson, who steered England to World Cup victory in 2017, departed from Warwickshire last month and has accepted a temporary position at Sussex.

The incoming coach will tackle home white-ball series against West Indies and India this summer, in addition to a 50-over World Cup scheduled in India during the fall.

Whoever steps into the role will aim to break the trophy drought that has persisted since the 2017 World Cup win.

Lewis, who was previously a fast-bowling coach for the England men's team, succeeded Australian Lisa Keightley over three years ago.

The pinnacle of his tenure was a tied Ashes series against the dominant Australians in 2023, yet England fell short of reaching the finals in two T20 World Cups.

Following the exit from last year’s T20 World Cup, former England spinner Alex Hartley, part of the World Cup-winning squad, remarked that certain team members lacked sufficient fitness.

During the Ashes tour, England spinner Sophie Ecclestone opted not to be interviewed by Hartley in her capacity as a television broadcaster.

When questioned about fitness being a factor in the disparity between his squad and Australia, Lewis cited a “cultural difference” between the two countries.

Connor then committed to an “honest review” of the series and described the incident involving Ecclestone as "unfortunate."

Connor has acknowledged Lewis's achievements in the one-day international series but conceded that the outcomes in the T20 World Cup and the Ashes were not favorable.

"With his guidance, the team successfully defended against Australia to secure a thrilling draw in the 2023 Women's Ashes, drawing large crowds with a captivating style of cricket. Additionally, the team's consistent performance in bilateral matches featured an impressive eight ODI series victories, for which he deserves significant recognition," she noted.

"Although the recent T20 World Cup and Women's Ashes in Australia did not meet expectations, there is no doubt about the talent we possess. We will be seeking to appoint a successor soon.

"We need to be prepared for an exhilarating summer of international cricket and to compete for two World Cups in the next 15 months, including the T20 World Cup hosted in this country next year."