Cricket: Wright in frame as coach of England

Former test cricket captain John Wright is guarded about his coaching future despite being linked to the national job in both New Zealand and England.

Wright, aged 44, is widely considered the logical replacement for Steve Rixon when he steps down as New Zealand coach in August, but that appointment could be scuttled by England.

Wright is understood to be one of five in line for the high-profile England job following the completion of David Lloyd's reign.

Wright, who is into his third season as coach of English county Kent, confirmed that an approach had been made from English cricket headquarters.

"My name has been mentioned in dispatches and Kent have been approached by the [English Cricket Board], but I'm pretty relaxed about it all," Wright said from Kent's Canterbury base yesterday.

"I've got enough challenges with Kent at the moment. We are not going too flash, so my main focus is there."

Wright's coaching experience is limited to his time at Kent, but he is a well-respected figure in English cricket circles after a distinguished playing career as a left-handed opening batsman at Derbyshire and with New Zealand.

Wright played 82 tests, 14 as captain, over 15 seasons for New Zealand (1977-93), and scored 5334 runs. Only Martin Crowe (5444) has scored more test runs for New Zealand.

Wright said any support for him was probably on the back of a good first year as coach of Kent.

"We had a good year two years ago but we are a bit slow out of the blocks this year, so I'm surprised, pleasantly surprised, at the approach.

"But there is a lot of speculation going around at the moment. Supposedly it is out of five people and I'm one of them, but if that is the case I'd consider myself very much the outsider."

The other names being mentioned are South Africa's coach, Bob Woolmer, former Zimbabwe player Duncan Fletcher, former Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore and Englishman Jack Birkenshaw.

Wright would not be drawn on whether he had applied for the New Zealand job or which position would be preferable, taking into account that his wife and two children still live in Wellington.

"At the end of the day if the right opportunity came to coach at [international] level, then I'd look at it, because it is the next step.

"But singling out one job ahead of the other is not worth thinking about because it is speculation on both fronts.

"I'm learning a lot here and enjoy the place and what I do, so we'll just wait and see what evolves." - NZPA