Ballance backs Moores ahead of West Indies Test series

GaryBallance - Cropped

England batsman Gary Ballance has insisted the entire team is behind coach Peter Moores despite their dreadful display at the Cricket World Cup.

Moores' position has come under scrutiny since England failed to get out of their group at the 50-over tournament.

Test captain Alastair Cook claimed results proved he should have gone to the World Cup rather than be sacked in favour of Eoin Morgan in the lead-up, while incoming England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves has declared Moores' side must beat West Indies in their Test series, which starts next week, or face an inquiry.

The ongoing question of whether troublesome batsman Kevin Pietersen could return for this year's Ashes has simply added to the bad atmosphere surrounding English cricket.

In the opening days of their tour of the Caribbean, Ballance argued England support Moores.

"Yes, from what I've seen then yes, definitely," the 25-year-old told the Guardian.

"Everyone's behind him and everyone's behind Cooky and we're focusing on winning this series and not looking too far ahead."

Ballance perhaps has more reason than most to support Moores, as the 52-year-old gave him his Test debut.

While Ballance struggled at the World Cup, averaging just nine with the bat in four appearances, the Zimbabwe-born batsman has been one of the true success stories of Moores' reign at Test level.

The Yorkshireman has scored three centuries and three fifties in his eight Tests for an average of 60.75.

"For me he's [Moores] been brilliant," Ballance said.

"Since I started working with him I've scored a few runs in Test cricket so I've only got good things to say about him. He's been brilliant with me and everyone else - he's been very good.

"He's definitely helped me on a personal level and in a team sense he's been good."

After being part of a third English team to exit a World Cup at the group stage in the past five attempts, Ballance is looking forward to returning to five-day cricket.

England will play three Tests against West Indies, the first starting in Antigua on April 13.

"It's been a tough winter but you have to move on," Ballance said.

"Test cricket has gone well for me, so I have to look at what I did well last summer and take that into this series.

"We're obviously disappointed with how the World Cup went but you can't really dwell on it too much. You have to learn from what you did badly and try to get better. That's what we're doing.

"It's a change of format and we've won our last three Tests so you have to take those positives into this series. We have to look at last summer, when we beat India, and produce the same kind of cricket in this series."

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