England re-hire 2005 Ashes pace coach Cooley

England have made a further addition to their backroom staff by re-hiring Troy Cooley as national pace-bowling lead.

The 60-year-old Australian was famously part of the England coaching team for the 2005 Ashes and left in 2006.

His appointment comes after England hired Carl Hopkinson as a short-term fielding coach following the drops that blighted the Ashes, but Cooley’s return is not linked to the 4-1 defeat in Australia.

England have not had a full-time fast-bowling coach with the men’s senior team since Jon Lewis left the set-up in Brendon McCullum’s first summer in charge of the Test side, in 2022.

Since then, James Anderson, Tim Southee and David Saker have all worked as ad hoc fast-bowling consultants.

Cooley’s return has been in the works for some time and an England statement said he will be “responsible for development and coaching of fast bowlers across the England men, Lions and Young Lions”.

He will spend some time with the senior team, but there may also be the need for other fast-bowling coaches to come into the set-up on occasion.

Since departing his role with England 20 years ago, Cooley has worked with Cricket Australia and India’s national academy.

He will work above Neil Killeen, who was appointed England’s elite fast-bowling coach in 2023.

Although Cooley’s time will not wholly be dedicated to the England first team, it is another addition to a backroom staff McCullum had previously moved to slim down.

England went to the Ashes without a specialist fielding coach and missed 18 chances across the series.

Hopkinson left the set-up at the end of 2024, just as McCullum added England’s white-ball teams to his Test remit.

The 44-year-old former Sussex batter now returns for the T20 leg of the tour of Sri Lanka and the World Cup that follows.

“In white-ball cricket it makes an even bigger difference – you can win or lose a game from a dropped catch, or a catch,” said England white-ball captain Harry Brook.

“We felt like it was a good decision to bring in a fielding coach and try to make that area of our game a little more neat. It can win you a game.

“Hoppo’s a very good fielding coach and we’re looking forward to having him back.”