Cricket: Mike watkinson stays at Lancs

Nov 10 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

MIKE WATKINSON has been ruled out of contention to become the new head of the National Academy and confirmed he is remaining as Lancashire coach.

The 46-year-old former England all-rounder had been linked for the post at the Academy based in Loughborough following Peter Moores’ promotion to become England’s coach at the start of last summer. He was interviewed twice for the vacancy during the summer and, having taken Lancashire to their brink of their first championship since 1934, when they failed to beat Surrey on the final day of the season to oust Sussex for the crown, he was favourite for the post alongside England spin coach David Parsons. “I’m very happy to be staying,”

Watkinson said.“It’s a job that I have done for six years now and I’m really happy that I’m able to continue my work.”

SUMMARIES: First Test Brisbane Australia 551-4 dec (M J Clarke 145 no, M E K Hussey 133, P A Jaques 100, R T Ponting 56, A Symonds 53 no) v Sri Lanka 31-2 Johannesburg S Africa 226 (H H Gibbs 63, S E Bond 4-73) & 179-2 (H M Amla 85 no, J H Kallis 76 no) v N Zealand 118 (D W Steyn 5-34)

TODAY (08.30 unless stated) First Test Match (day 3 of 5) Brisbane: Australia v Sri Lanka (00.00) Johannesburg: S Africa v New Zealand

TOMORROW: Brisbane: Australia v Sri Lanka (00.00) Johannesburg: SAfrica v New Zealand Third ODI Kanpur: India v Pakistan (03.30)