Buchanan accepts short-term role with England

Melbourne:

Former Australia coach John Buchanan has accepted a short-term coaching assignment with England ahead of the Ashes series and is hopeful of eventually landing a long-term consultant's job with the side.

Even though Buchanan refused to disclose whether he would pass on crucial information about the key Australian players ahead of Ashes, the bespectacled coach had no qualms about his new role even though some people think it borders on treachery.

"It is my own business who I choose to talk to and what I talk about," a curt Buchanan told a cricket website.

"Both myself and the ECB have indicated that in terms of their elite programme I could fulfill a role. I will fly over on June 28, have a good look at the elite programme, and sit down with them to see what potentially lies ahead. This trip will be largely about looking at the coaching programmes, and working with the Under-19s and the (England) Lions team," he said.

However, at least one Australian cricketer, Brett Lee, sees nothing wrong in it.

"John is free to do whatever he wants," Lee said.

Incidentally, Buchanan initially refused getting into a deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board even though he had several meetings with ECB Managing Director Huge Morris.

Dwelling on his new assignment, Buchanan said, "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get over there and look at the general set-up. I think it's fair to say that there has been a fair amount of interest from both parties, and I suppose the situation will become clearer in early July."