Buchanan talks coaching with England

The odds of John Buchanan joining the England coaching staff have shortened considerably after the former Australia coach met with ECB officials last week. Buchanan had previously held preliminary discussions with Hugh Morris, the ECB's managing director, regarding a consultancy position and has taken negotiations to the next level by holding talks with the entire England management team.

While pointing out that his conversations with the ECB were not Ashes-specific, Buchanan's defection would nonetheless provide England with a unique insider's view into the Australian squad ahead of the eagerly anticipated five-Test series. Buchanan guided the side for nine seasons, culminating in the 5-0 Ashes win in Australia in 2006-07.

"I think both parties are keen for something to happen, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee that something will," Buchanan told Cricinfo. "The discussions were largely around their elite program - work that would involve the national team, the academy at Loughborough, the Lions and coaching programs. It wouldn't be full-time.

"(There is) nothing to report or confirm from my end, only that yes, I visited ECB officials on the way home from South Africa to continue discussions about whether or not there was a consultancy role for me within English cricket. Nothing (has been) decided as yet, and the Ashes was not part of our discussion."

An ECB official confirmed the management team had met Buchanan after the one-day international between England and the West Indies in Birmingham. Buchanan ventured north after his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, ended its 2009 campaign with an unflattering 3-10 record in South Africa, prompting speculation as to whether he would retain his post. "There was a chance to catch up with him and discuss a few things in cricketing terms over the course of a couple of hours," an ECB spokesman said. "Nothing has been arranged at this stage going forward [but] all the management spoke to him."

Buchanan was originally approached by the ECB's head hunting firm, Odgers Ray & Berndtson, for the position of England head coach - subsequently filled by Andy Flower - but declined to nominate himself for the job. He did, however, inform Morris that his consultancy contract with Cricket Australia had not been renewed, and expressed an interest in performing a similar role with the ECB.

The ECB's website is currently advertising for a full-time coach development manager, but it is uncertain whether that is the role Morris has tagged for Buchanan. The Australian coach worked with the England Lions on their recent tour of New Zealand, and has previously talked of mentoring coaches and players out of the ECB's Loughborough academy. "Certainly, yes, I am very interested in taking on some sort of consultancy role if that's what the ECB are to pursue," Buchanan told Cricinfo in April. "I'm keen to talk to them about that and how I might possibly assist their cricket in whatever way that might be."