Paul Farbrace confident England won’t be distracted for third West Indies Test

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/apr/29/paul-farbrace-england-no-distraction-west-indies

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The assistant coach, Paul Farbrace, has no intention of letting England be distracted ahead of the third Test in the West Indies - either by internal changes or external barbs.

England are 1-0 ahead going into Friday’s decider in Barbados, in sight of a first away series victory since India in December 2012. But they are also striving to keep other agendas out of their eyeline, with the England and Wales Cricket Board currently courting a high-profile director of cricket to take responsibility for the national side and a first Ashes gauntlet already laid down by Steve Smith.

There has thus far been more speculation than clarity around the recruitment of a new supremo – a position created after the managing director Paul Downton was sacked at the start of the Caribbean tour.

Former captains Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart have all shown a tentative interest, though the precise job specification has yet to be made public.

England’s head coach, Peter Moores, and Farbrace himself, would be forgiven for wondering where they would stand should any of those voices enter the dressing room but one thing is certain: another win would go a long way towards strengthening their hand. And that is why Farbrace is content to let the process take its course while he helps prepare the team for action.

“You know in international sport you know that results are what it’s all about and if you’re not winning you know you’re under pressure, but you can’t worry every day about what might happen,” he said. “We have to think solely about what’s going on on the field, we can’t be distracted by what’s going on off the field. Credit to the players for that. Paul leaving at the start of this tour wasn’t something that any of us could see happening but the lads have got on and played and that’s the most important thing.”

Farbrace might be better placed than most to take a sanguine view on employment matters, having twice worked for the chaotic Sri Lankan Cricket Board.

“I had a grounding with my two and a bit years working with Sri Lanka,” he recalled wryly. “The first time I was there the board was dissolved three times. One night Muttiah Muralitharan told me I was sacked and the next day we were all reinstated. It was a motivational way to work really.”

There was also the distraction of some Antipodean trash-talking on Tuesday, with Smith claiming England would “not come close” to a full-strength Australia this summer. There are plenty of games to go for both sides before the next battle for the urn commences in July, and Farbrace was happy to let the first broadside slip by.

“There will be a lot of that,” he said. “Glenn McGrath will be coming out with his usual 5-0 prediction, everybody else will be having their say and that’s fine.

“Everyone’s looking forward to the summer but we think we’re making progress as a Test team and are quite settled. There are some exciting times ahead but the game this week is a big one for us. We can’t worry about what’s going on away from this team.”