Robert Croft to join England's coaching staff for one-day series

10 January 2016 10:23

Robert Croft will join England's coaching staff for the forthcoming one-day international series against South Africa.

Croft played 50 ODIs and 21 Tests between 1996 and 2001 and will work with the squad as a spin bowling consultant on a 12-day secondment at the start of the series.

England are also understood to have firmed up an agreement to re-hire former limited-overs captain Paul Collingwood on a short-term coaching contract for the World Twenty20 in March.

Croft, who took 45 one-day wickets at 38.73, retired in 2012 at the age of 42 and is currently on the coaching staff at his former county, Glamorgan.

Croft, who was part of England's World Cup squad in 1999, will work with spinners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid as well as occasional bowler Joe Root.

Andrew Strauss, director of England cricket, said: "Robert has had success in both domestic and international cricket during his career and he'll have plenty to offer the dressing room.

"It's an opportunity for players and coaches to exchange different ideas which is so important particularly at this stage in the side's development.

"He has worked with our performance programme in the past and has proved a popular and valuable addition and I've no doubt this group of players will also gain a lot from his involvement."

Croft, 45, is delighted to have been given the opportunity of working with the senior squad again.

"This is a great opportunity and something I'm looking forward to," he said.

"It's extra experience for me and if the opportunity presents itself to help the lads I will. I'm there to observe and primarily be a sounding board for the spin bowlers, but will give any additional help as required.

"I'm looking forward to meeting up with two excellent coaches with different styles in Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace and to absorbing their ideas.

"Looking from a far, this England team seems to have a no-fear attitude at the moment.

"There's a confidence about these England players and the side is well balanced in terms of age and experience."

Collingwood worked with the white ball squads in the United Arab Emirates this winter and will now help at a second World Twenty20, having previously assisted Ashley Giles in Bangladesh in 2014.

Source: PA