LONDON, May 1: The BBC is claiming that Duncan Fletcher, who stepped down as England coach during the World Cup, did not resign in the way that the ECB presented to the media.

Mihir Bose, the BBC's sports editor, said that Fletcher resigned on April 11 with the intention of serving out the one-year notice period specified in his contract. But six days later England were humiliated by South Africa.

At an ECB board meeting which followed, Bose said that David Morgan, the chairman, wanted Fletcher to remain in charge for the series against West Indies which ends in July, but that other senior members were very much against the idea and wanted a clean break.

Bose also claimed that the intention was not to appoint Moores as Fletcher's permanent successor, but because he was already a full-time employee of the ECB, he could not be put in change temporarily.—Agencies