Flintoff named England Lions head coach

Andrew Flintoff’s move into coaching has grown further with his appointment as boss of England Lions for the next year.

The 46-year-old former England all-rounder returned to cricket last year following a crash on the set of Top Gear that left him with severe facial injuries.

He has since worked with the England white-ball team, been head coach of Northern Superchargers in The Hundred and this week is with the England Test side for the final match of the series against Sri Lanka.

Flintoff will take up his new role next month. The Lions are scheduled for winter tours of South Africa and Australia, then are due to play India A and Zimbabwe at home next summer.

“I’m incredibly excited to take on this role with the England Lions,” said Flintoff. “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.

“It’s an exciting time for English cricket, and I’m passionate about inspiring the next generation to take the sport forward. We’ve got a strong foundation, and I believe we can create something truly special.”

Flintoff played 79 Tests for England between 1998 and 2009, including a starring role in the epic Ashes triumph of 2005, for which he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

After ending his playing career, Flintoff moved into television presenting and fronted Top Gear from 2019 until his life-changing accident in 2022.

In the second series of his documentary Field Of Dreams, which concluded on BBC One last week, Flintoff revealed the accident left him struggling with anxiety, nightmares and flashbacks.

“I don’t know what completely better is,” he said in scenes filmed at the beginning of this year.

“I am what I am now. I’m different to what I was. It’s something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better? No, different.”

Flintoff, who is close friends with England managing director Rob Key, returned to public life by working with the white-ball team at the end of last summer.

He remained a regular feature in the limited-overs set-up, including at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA in June. Flintoff joined the Test group at The Oval this week and conducted an emotional cap presentation for debutant Josh Hull on Friday.

On the same day, Key told Test Match Special: “Freddie is loving coaching. Sometimes it is a trait that is not spoken about enough – he is kind. All of the things Fred can be: funny, extrovert. He is kind. It is an underrated quality.”

Flintoff’s return to the game has coincided with son Rocky’s rapid ascent through the ranks at Lancashire.

The 16-year-old only made his second XI debut in April and has since signed professional terms with the club, made debuts in first-class and List A cricket and also played for England Under-19s.

Corey Flintoff, aged 18, has also played for Lancashire second XI.