England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has resigned from his position as head coach of England Lions.
At 48 years old, Flintoff, who took up the reigns at the England Lions in September 2024, thanked managing director of England Rob Key in his resignation statement for “giving me one of the most important jobs in English cricket.”
Andrew Flintoff had been appointed head coach of Australian Big Bash side Sydney Thunder back in June, and his appointment marks his first stint as a T20 coach outside his country.
Flintoff was initially supposed to keep the Lions job while he left early for the Thunder, but has now departed the English setup, per BBC Sport.
“Unfortunately I’ve made the decision to step away from my role with the Lions,” said Flintoff.
“Not only have I enjoyed my time having the opportunity to work with the best young cricketers in the country, but have taken great pride in seeing them develop.
“I’d like to thank the coaches and staff for all their passion, tireless work and support they give everyday.
“I can’t wait to get started with the Thunder later in the year and see where coaching takes me.”
In addition to this, he also served as the men’s coach for two seasons for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, guiding the Leeds-based team to fourth and third places respectively.
He was not retained beyond 2026 due to the acquisition of the franchise by the owners of the Sunrisers group.
Before joining the Lions, Flintoff was working as an unofficial coach of England’s white-ball teams, after resigning from his post as a presenter on the television show Top Gear.
South Africa A’s tour to England, which took place in May and June, was the last tour he undertook in the Lions coaching role, losing in both four-day and two out of three 50-over matches.
