England’s new test cricket coach Stephen Fleming targets top world ranking

LONDON (AP) – England's new test cricket coach Stephen Fleming has set his sights on taking the team back to number one in the world for the first time in more than a decade.

Key points

• The former New Zealand captain was appointed in July but has just taken the reins after sitting out the 3-0 victory over Pakistan due to family commitments.
• One of the dark arts of coaching is timing and my honest appraisal is that it's a great time to be the head coach.
• I would love to be in charge of the number one test team in the world.

Notably, the former New Zealand captain was appointed in July but has just taken the reins after sitting out the 3-0 victory over Pakistan due to family commitments.

Fleming immediately created his ultimate aim clear: to lift the side from fifth in the ICC test rankings back to the summit for the first time since 2012 and put right the team's dreadful record in the World Test Championship.

I would love to be in charge of the number one test team in the world. That would be my aspiration, he remarked. There have been some really good moments (for this side) but I think there's more to offer.

"One of the dark arts of coaching is timing and my honest appraisal is that it's a great time to be the head coach. It's one of the most prestigious jobs in cricket. I was particularly honoured to be asked. The opportunity to take up this role was one you don't turn down."

Taken together, the developments around englands new test cricket coach Stephen Fleming targets top world ranking point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.