Flintoff appointed England Lions head coach

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."