Fletcher hits out at blame culture

England had announced that the 58-year-old Zimbabwean had resigned earlier this week but during a reluctant final appearance in front of the media Fletcher indicated he had been left with little choice but to resign while highlighting injuries as a major reason for the team's recent poor form which saw them lose the Ashes series 5-0 before limping out of the World Cup.

Fletcher said: "I see the reason for what has happened over the last year but my reasons don't make a good story - you have to blame someone. My reasons are that we had a side with a lot of injuries and other sides have struggled for the same reason."

He added: "Australia went to New Zealand and lost but all you hear is that they lost because they had three players out, but we go to Australia missing three or four players and that's not a reason, it's an excuse.

"As soon as you disrupt sides you have a problem and it takes time to regroup.

"We've seen it in football when great sides lose a few players and it takes them three or four years to rebuild that side and we were in a rebuilding phase."

While no-one questions Fletcher's success in the longer format of the game - although even that reputation has diminished after England have won only one in five series since winning the Ashes - his one-day record is poor at best.

England have failed to perform in two World Cups under his guidance and the nearest they have come to a major one-day trophy was reaching the 2004 Champions Trophy final in home conditions.

When asked how he believed he had fared in the post, Fletcher added: "It's difficult to say, but from my point of view it's been pretty good.

"One thing you can say is that when I got the job not many people wanted it but now everyone is clamouring for it so that's a pretty good indication."