Cricket: Moores returns as England's head coach

Peter Moores was named England head coach for a second time on Saturday as the country's cricket board continued their overhaul of the side humiliated 5-0 in the Ashes series by Australia.

The 51-year-old succeeded Zimbabwean Andy Flower, who stepped down after five years in charge following the Ashes whitewash Down Under in January.

Moores coached England for two years from 2007 before his exit following a public fall-out with leading batsman Kevin Pietersen, whose international career was ended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after the Ashes loss.

"It's great to be back. I feel very excited, very proud to get this opportunity because I think it's a great chance," Moores told a news conference at Lord's.

"To work with an outstanding player, person (captain Alastair Cook) and try to build something, it's an opportunity and to be part of that opportunity I'm very excited and looking forward to the challenges ahead."

Moores, a journeyman player and a former coach of Sussex, took charge at Lancashire after leaving England and in 2011 led them to the outright County Championship title for the first time in 77 years.

Former international spinner Ashley Giles, England's one-day coach, was favourite to get the job but the team's poor World Twenty20 campaign in Bangladesh last month, in which they failed to get past the group stage, appeared to have counted against him.

Moores faces a major rebuilding job following the end of Pietersen's international career, the retirement of experienced off-spinner Graeme Swann and the ongoing stress related problems faced by batsman Jonathan Trott, who announced he was taking another break from the game on Friday.

EXCITING TIME

Cook, though, was looking forward to the future with England hosting test series against Sri Lanka and India this year before the one-day World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

"It's a very exciting time. It's going to be small steps," Cook added.

"It's going to take a little time to rebuild but we have got a huge amount of talent in this country and it's a very exciting time to be an England player."

ECB managing director Paul Downton, who was appointed in October, said Moores was a great fit for the demanding role but did not give any details about the length of contract his new head coach had signed.

"Peter has a great reputation around the world as an outstanding coach and he will return to the role as England head coach with a great deal more experience and understanding of the challenges that the role presents," he said in a statement.

"There is no doubt that he is the leading English coach of his generation and I believe that this is his time.

"I was hugely impressed by his vision for the future of the England team and I am looking forward to working with him in the years to come.

"It was a really difficult decision to make as we had an outstanding field but the panel were unanimous in the choice of Peter and I know that support will be echoed around the counties."