Critics drove me to quit, says Duncan

Maintaining themes that have marked his reign, he gave his support to his captain — insisting that Michael Vaughan should remain skipper in both forms of the game — and insisted that too much cricket is played by English professionals.

Scroll down to read more:

There was also a tinge of bitterness and the impression that he leaves feeling underappreciated, with the strong hint that he had only resigned because he was forced to by the weight of opinion against him.

He inferred that, more than anything else, he could no longer put up with arch-critics such as Geoff Boycott, the media in general and the less supportive members of the ECB who wanted him out.

"I had made my mind up early in the qualifying stages that I wanted to finish at the end of the World Cup," he said. "It's difficult. There's no doubt I enjoyed the job and I still thought I had a lot to offer.

"I had lots of ideas on the go that I still think should be implemented and that I still think could be implemented but you cannot do it overnight."

Somewhat agitated as he faced the media for the last time, there was the sense that he feels he has been made a scapegoat for the slide in England's results since the 2005 Ashes.

"My reasons don't make a good story and someone has got to be blamed," he said.

"My reasons are that we are a side who have had a lot of injuries. Australia lost to New Zealand (in February's oneday series) because they were missing three top players.

"We go to the Ashes with three or four players out and the reasons become an excuse. We were in a rebuilding phase, simple as that."

That is over-simplifying the case but his passion for the England cause was obvious to the end. He told the players not to win their final World Cup match for him but because they needed to strike a blow before the series against the West Indies.

As it turned out, that was achieved with a last gasp onewicket victory on Saturday that lacked drama only in the fact that the result was merely symbolic.

By the time the West Indies are tackled, Peter Moores will be in charge and Fletcher will have his feet up properly for the first time since 1999.

"I think Peter is good, I think he will do a very good job and I will ring him when I get home," said Fletcher, 58, who added that he is not finished with the game by any means.

"I do need a break, maybe a month and after that my wife will feel like kicking me out of the house. I want to coach, that is what I love doing. Maybe it will be in England. We love Britain," added the Zimbabwean, who plans to continue splitting his time between Cape Town and Cardiff.

He feels that Moores is inheriting a very good situation. "Of all the sides in Test cricket the best foundations are there with England. We are the youngest side in terms of caps and age."

The closest he came to an admission of failure was the recognition that England struggled to maintain continuity in the one-day team, although he put that down to the scheduling of limited over games after Test series.

Asked the one thing he would change about the English game, Fletcher replied: "We need to play less cricket. That's the way to go and it has been proven by Australia and South Africa."

There was also full backing for Vaughan staying on as one-day captain: "There is no doubt about that and he showed it yesterday. It has been hard for him at first coming back after injuries, that's all."

This is the first time that he has left a job in negative circumstances and it has clearly been a painful experience for a proud man.

His joy in the position has not always been evident but he said: "I still think it's the best job in world cricket. When I came into the job nobody wanted it. Now they have been clamouring for it, so that tells you something."