Peter Steindl faces axe for T20 World Cup failure

Peter Steindl's six-year reign looks to be coming to an end. Picture: Phil Wilkinson

The 43-year-old Australian, who has been at the helm since 2007, will pay the price for his side’s failure to qualify for the T20 World Cup.

Steindl and his team came in for sharp criticism after they were unable to finish in the top six of the 16-team tournament in the UAE. They face another vital qualifying campaign next month for the 50-over World Cup and jittery officials, fearful of missing out on another lucrative global event, want a change of leadership.

Steindl’s future was top of the agenda as Cricket Scotland bosses met in Edinburgh last night and it is understood his contract, which has another year to run, will be terminated. A source last night said: “A change has become inevitable and the only thing to be decided is the timing of Pete’s departure. After the disappointment of the T20 qualifiers it makes sense to act now.”

Former England captain Paul Collingwood and Scotland Under-19 coach Craig Wright, drafted in as Steindl’s assistants last month, may be handed a temporary role to jointly spearhead the qualifying campaign in New Zealand.

Steindl, a former Cricket Scotland Community Development Manager, was a surprise appointment when he was promoted to replace Peter Drinnen as head coach in December 2007. Under his leadership the Scots reached the T20 World Cup finals in 2009, an Intercontinental Cup final the following year and recorded their first official T20 international win when they beat Bangladesh in July 2012. However, with a number of senior players retiring, they lost their place as the leading Associate country and are now behind both Ireland and Afghanistan in the rankings.