Flintoff named as England Lions head coach

LONDON (Agencies): Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been appointed as the head coach of the second-tier England Lions team for the upcoming year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Saturday. The 46-year-old will take charge in October, overseeing their tour of South Africa, followed by a red-ball series in Australia in January and a summer series against India A and Zimbabwe on home soil. Flintoff, who was seriously injured while filming on the set of BBC’s “Top Gear” show in December 2022, was part of England’s white-ball coaching set-up, including the Twenty20 World Cup, where they lost to eventual champions India in the semi-finals. He recently had a coaching stint with Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with some of the best up-and-coming talent in the country and to help shape the future of the men’s game,” Flintoff said in a statement. “The Lions programme has always been a vital stepping stone for players pushing for international success, and I’m honoured to be part of that journey.”