England turn to Ashes hero of 2010-11 to help beat Australia this winter

David Saker will be England’s bowling coach in next month’s Ashes, reprising the role he held with the victorious 2010-11 team.

In addition to being a member of Andy Flower’s backroom team for the most recent away win in Ashes history, Australian Saker, 59, was also in England’s camp for three other series against his countrymen - including the 2-2 draw in 2023.

This time, his path will cross with another bowling consultant Tim Southee, who, as reported by Daily Mail Sport yesterday, will remain with England beyond this current limited-overs tour of New Zealand, travelling onto Perth on November 2 and departing to play in the ILT20 immediately after the first Test.

‘He’s a fountain of knowledge, he’s played a lot of cricket over here and a lot of international cricket, so to have him in the staff and working alongside us will only benefit us,’ Harry Brook, England’s white-ball captain and deputy to Ben Stokes with the Test team, said.

Saker’s return in a locum role completes the Ashes coaching set-up, with England confirming that Paul Collingwood - who the ECB said was taking time away from the sport last summer due to personal reasons - will not be part of their winter plans.

Head coach Brendon McCullum will be supported by assistants Marcus Trescothick and Jeetan Patel while Gilbert Enoka - famed for his work over the years with the All Blacks rugby team - has been hired as mental skills coach for the build-up to the series.

Saker was lured back to work with England two years ago via an initial approach from Stokes. In between, he had been on the other side of the Ashes divide, as Australia’s bowling coach between 2016 to 2019.

Since Saker’s most recent spell working under McCullum and ex-specialist white ball coach Matthew Mott in 2023, England have invited men yet to hang up their boots in Jimmy Anderson and Southee to share their pace bowling wisdom.

However, they have reverted to one of the most experienced specialists in the business - the Victorian was also bowling coach with Sri Lanka prior to returning to the ECB’s pay roll two years ago - for the five-Test campaign beginning on November 21 at the Optus Stadium.