London, Sep 21 (IANS) Ex-batter Jonathan Trott has been appointed as the head coach of the England Lions for their winter tours of the Caribbean, South Africa and Sri Lanka, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Monday.
Trott, 45, brings a wealth of international coaching pedigree to the developmental setup, having previously served a successful four-year stint as Afghanistan’s head coach from 2022, where he guided the Asian nation to a historic first-ever semi-final appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024.
Trott, who worked as an assistant coach with the England senior men’s team during the Covid-19 pandemic, recently stepped in as interim head coach for the Lions’ 2-0 T20 series victory over Sri Lanka. He also had short coaching stints with Ireland and Glamorgan.
“I’m delighted to be back working in the England set-up and hugely excited to take on the role of Head Coach of the England Lions. Having played for the Lions myself, I know how valuable the experience can be in helping players develop, both on and off the field, and it played an important part in my own journey.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the players and staff, helping them fulfil their potential and preparing them for the demands of international cricket,” Trott said in a statement on Monday.
Trott takes over after Andrew Flintoff stepped down from the role in early August, soon after he signed up to be Sydney Thunder head coach in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia. A veteran of 52 Tests and 75 white-ball appearances for England, Trott, a three-time Ashes winner, also played 22 games for the Lions.
ECB Men’s Performance Director Ed Barney expressed delight at securing Trott’s services to lead the pathway setup, where huge focus will be on 50-over cricket. “Jonathan Trott is an outstanding coach who has a proven record in international cricket. We are delighted that he has agreed to lead our Lions programme during a busy winter.
“This winter’s Lions schedule has a 50-over focus across three tours as we look to prepare the next-in-line players for one-day international cricket. Alongside this, we have some key red-ball fixtures which will continue to provide opportunities to excel on the world stage whilst develop a broad skill set.
“Jonathan’s coaching expertise, and as a former England player who knows the value of the Lions programme having come through it himself, will be invaluable for those players as they look to progress their careers,” he concluded.
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