6 Dec 2011

Gooch to help England full-time

7:45 am on 6 December 2011

Graham Gooch has stepped down as Essex batting coach to focus full-time on his coaching role with the England cricket team.

The 58-year-old, England's all-time highest Test run scorer, was appointed batting coach for the national side's 2009-10 Test series in South Africa.

Alastair Cook's knock of 294 against India this year was the best individual score by an Englishman since Graham Gooch's 333 against the same opposition in 1990.

Gooch, who will remain at Chelmsford as club ambassador, has overseen an upturn in England's Test batting performances, particularly those of Alastair Cook.

Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell have all showed progress under Gooch, each notching Test double-hundreds since his arrival on the scene.