Lehmann keen on England cricket coaching job

Former Australian Test batsman Darren Lehmann says he would be interested in joining the race to coach Ashes rivals England, reports said Sunday.

Widely regarded as one of world cricket's shrewdest brains, Lehmann, 38, said he would consider any offer from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The England position became vacant when Peter Moores lost his job this week in a fall-out that also led to Kevin Pietersen relinquishing the captaincy.

Lehmann, who played 27 Tests for Australia up until the end of 2004, began coaching Australia's academy side last year and has already been signed by the Deccan Chargers for the Indian Premier League.

He has also captained Yorkshire in English county cricket during a stint as an overseas player from 1997 until 2006.

"Yes, I'm interested," Lehmann told Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper after former Test teammate Shane Warne said the ECB should target Lehmann ahead of this year's Ashes series in England.

"It's something I would definitely consider. Shane Warne is a very good friend of mine and he knows what I want to do.

"You would never knock back an opportunity like that.

"I'm working with second-stringers at the moment and anyone would want to work with players at that international level. I'll talk to them if they want to talk to me."

England will not be appointing a new head coach for the upcoming West Indies tour, which features four Tests and five one-day internationals.

Instead current assistant coach Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman, and Phil Neale, England's team operations manager, will lead the existing backroom staff when the squad departs on January 21.

Another former Australian Test batsman, Tom Moody, has also been linked to the England coaching position.