upturn

The 43-year-old New Zealander has been head coach of the Test team since the summer of 2022 and has overseen an upturn in the side’s fortunes, leading them to 20 wins in 32 matches.

There is also, of course, no guarantee that fewer responsibilities means an upturn in results.

Team principal James Vowles says Williams are "not out of the woods" despite an upturn in form in recent races.

However, a club may calculate an anticipated upturn in performance could generate more money in TV revenue, gate receipts and prize money to be worth making a move.

Across his 100 Tests between 1993 and 2005, Thorpe was a world-class left-hander in a struggling England side and a key player in the upturn that followed.