Cricinfo website and Sky TV said Moores resigned following an emergency board meeting of the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Moores's departure had been expected after Pietersen publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with coaching and selection issues, but Sky said the South African-born batsman stepped down after just five months in the role because the ECB did not act quickly enough.

The ECB has declined to comment.

The omission of former England captain Michael Vaughan for the coming tour of the West Indies was initially thought to have angered skipper Pietersen. But it now appears that was just the final straw.

Moores's focus on statistical analysis is seen as too much of a contrast to the impulsive Pietersen, who criticised the coach's ''all day every day'' training regime employed before England's tour of New Zealand a year ago.

Reports suggest the outspoken Pietersen has never got along with Moores.

Ex-England captain Graham Gooch has gone so far as to suggest the time Pietersen and former Australian spin bowler Shane Warne spent together at Hampshire might have had a negative effect on the South African-born batsman.