The England & Wales Cricket Board will have to at least double coach ANDY FLOWER's salary of £300,000 ($492,000) plus bonuses if it is to appoint former South African cricketer GARY KIRSTEN as England's next head coach, according to Berry & Hoult of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Kirsten now coaches the Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Daredevils and is "so well settled, both domestically and financially, that it would take a far higher sum than has been paid to an England coach to lure him from Cape Town," where he was born and lives. The contract with Delhi Daredevils is thought to be worth more than A$500,000 ($437,000) a year for what is little more than two months' work (SMH, 2/3). The BBC reported England limited-overs coach ASHLEY GILES is a "strong candidate" for the job. ECB Chair GILES CLARKE confirmed that Giles was a candidate. Clarke: "We would agree [Giles] is a strong candidate. He's a valued employee of the ECB, a man of great integrity and ability" (BBC, 2/1). SKY SPORTS reported the decision will be made by ECB Managing Dir PAUL DOWNTON and "time is on his side." England does not have another Test until June. Clarke: "Paul will conduct a proper process. There may well be other outstanding candidates that emerge." Clarke expects Test and ODI captain ALASTAIR COOK to stay "as Test and ODI captain, whoever takes over as the new charge" (SKY SPORTS, 2/1).
