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Paul Downton sacked as ECB managing director

Paul Downton has lost his job as the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director of cricket after just over a year in the job.

Paul Downton has lost his job as ECB managing director. Credit: PA

Downton succeeded Hugh Morris in February 2014 and was under pressure almost from day one, when he fronted the decision to sack Kevin Pietersen.

His appointment of Peter Moores as head coach has also had its critics, while the decision to back Alastair Cook as one-day captain before ditching him on the eve of the World Cup also went down badly.

New chief executive Tom Harrison has abolished Downton's job description and will replace it with the slightly reworded 'director of England cricket'.