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No senior England job for Boycott

category: Cricket

08.05.2008 15:26

Geoffrey Boycott will not be joining the England coaching set-up to help Andrew Flintoff with his batting.

Reports had linked the 67-year-old former England opener with a part-time coaching role with the senior squad.

But English cricket chiefs said informal talks were held with a view of Boycott helping younger age groups.

"We use Nasser Hussain to talk to age-group teams and that is what we envisage other former players doing," said an ECB spokesman.

All-rounder Flintoff, who underwent a fourth operation on his ankle in October, wants to play in England's opening Test against New Zealand at Lord's next Thursday but has struggled for form with the bat this season.

While Flintoff's bowling has been impressive - he took 4-21 or Lancashire against Durham at Old Trafford on Wednesday - his poor batting run continued as he suffered his second successive first-ball County Championship duck.

Flintoff is a known admirer of the former Yorkshire opener and has used Boycott's expertise in the past, notably in South Africa three years ago.

But the ECB insisted any extension of that relationship would be in an unofficial capacity.

And it now looks likely that Boycott will be working with age-group teams, like the Under-19s, rather than with the senior squad.

Former England spin bowler Derek Underwood had also been linked with a coaching role.

The ECB however insisted that Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket, had not yet made any appointments to supplement the current coaching set-up headed by coach Peter Moores.

Original text is here

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