Joe Root has backed Chris Silverwood to stay on as head coach despite England's disappointing Ashes campaign
Silverwood's position, which he has held since being promoted from bowling coach in October 2019, is under growing pressure with England 3-0 down to Australia.
The 46-year-old presided over the Test defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne before missing last week's drawn fourth Test in Sydney because of COVID-19.
He is now back with the squad for the start of Friday's final Test in Hobart and Root is hopeful it will not be Silverwood's last at the helm.
Asked if he would like to see Silverwood remain in charge, Root said: "Yes, I would.
"It was a difficult week for the group of players with him not being around and it must have been very difficult for him.
"But I think the performances we put in during the first three games, I feel we've let him and the coaches down to a degree.
"We've not played anywhere near the level we're capable of. It's a chance to do that this week."
England have a three-Test series with West Indies to come after the Ashes and then host New Zealand, India and South Africa later in the year.
They suffered nine Test defeats in a logistically challenging 2021 that forced Silverwood to shuffle his resources due to COVID bubbles and player withdrawals.
And Root praised Silverwood for the manner in which he has gone about his business over the past 18 months or so.
"I think he's very calm, he has the respect of the guys and he's got a desperation to see everyone do well or up-skill the players as best he can," Root said.
"He's had a very difficult time of it with the environments we've been living in, trying to manage winning matches with bubble environments away from home, and multi-format players trying to prepare for an Ashes and a World Cup. It's very difficult.
"For a long time we've not been able to put our best teams out because we've been constantly trying to make sure from a mental wellbeing point of view everyone is looked after properly, because of the schedule we've dealt with over two years."
Holder's five-wicket haul wreaks havoc on T&T Red Force as Barbados Pride take command at Queens Park Oval
Chaim Holder’s five-wicket haul has put Barbados Pride in control at stumps on day one of their fourth-round West Indies Championship match at Queens Park Oval on Wednesday.
Holder was the spearhead of the Barbados attack taking 5-71 as the Red Force were bundled out for 203 in 75-3 overs. At the close, Barbados were 40-0.
Jason Mohammed spared the Red Force blushes with his score of 55 but other than Tion Webster, who contributed 46 and Joshua Da Silva 32, the other batters failed to show. Darren Bravo who has two hundreds and a 95 in the competition so far managed only seven as Trinidad crawled to 76-3 from the first 33 overs.
Jair McAllister also got in on the wickets taking 3-31 as the hosts struggled to find runs.
At the close, Barbados trail by 163 runs with all wickets intact.
Zachary McCaskie is at the crease on 21 while Sheyne Moseley is unbeaten on 19 at the other end.
Half-centuries from Powell, Gore and James guide Leewards to 271-6 against Windwards at Toruba
Half-centuries from Kieran Powell, Karima Gore and Kofi James steered Leeward Islands Hurricanes to 271-6 at stumps in their fourth-round West Indies Championship match against Windward Islands Volcanoes at Toruba on Wednesday.
Powell scored 75 and shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 42 with Jahmar Hamilton that helped rescue Hurricanes from 51-3 after Monctin Hodge (6), Akeem Saunders (0) and Devon Thomas were all back in the hutch within 17 overs.
The Leewards slipped again from 93-3 to 121 -6 as Hamilton (12), Powell and Rahkeem Cornwall 14 fell in relatively quick succession before Gore and James came together mounting an unbroken stand of 150 that took the Hurricanes to close of play.
Gore, an American, will resume on Thursday on 87 while James will pick up from 61.
Preston McSween 2-42 and Kenneth Dember 2-66 were the primary wicket takers for the Windwards.
Balogun would be 'great addition' for USMNT, 'but his heart needs to be in it'
Folarin Balogun would be a "great addition" to the United States team, but Arsenal's Matt Turner only wants the striker to make the switch if it "comes from the heart".
Arsenal forward Balogun has excelled on loan with Reims this season, scoring 17 goals in 27 Ligue 1 appearances – behind only Jonathan David and Kylian Mbappe (both 19).
The 21-year-old's excellent form has prompted talk of a tussle for his international allegiance, with the New York-born star eligible to represent England, the United States and Nigeria.
Balogun has been a mainstay in the England Under-21 set-up, but he withdrew from the squad for this month's internationals due to injury.
That development has led to fresh hope Balogun will pledge himself to the USMNT, and Turner confirmed he had spoken to his Gunners team-mate on the matter.
"I spoke to Flo. We obviously had most of our preseason together, and I knew going into it he had some roots in the USA," the goalkeeper said on Wednesday.
"So, he and I developed a relationship pretty quickly. That's pretty much the extent of it. We check in on each other here and there.
"He'd be a great addition to our national team. I think he's done really well, obviously, for his club on loan, and we'll see.
"The decision has to come from the heart, because it's not necessarily an easy task to come and play in these CONCACAF games. It's a tough region at times.
"So, for us, we'd be really grateful to have him, but his heart needs to be in it."
Earlier in the week, Balogun told Sky Sports he was yet to decide on his future but has aspirations of playing at the highest level.
"My international future is not decided yet in terms of who I'll play for," he said. "But of course I want to play international football at the highest level, in the World Cups, and I want to compete at the highest level.
"I want to put myself in positions where I'm performing in front of millions of people."
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