Andrew Strauss says Ian Botham ‘100% wrong’ over England selection panel

Andrew Strauss has defended the make-up of his England selection panel and said Sir Ian Botham is “100% wrong” if he thinks the two county directors on the panel use their positions to help sign players.

Botham, the Durham chairman, questioned whether there was a conflict of interest after the all-rounder Paul Coughlin joined Nottinghamshire through a £20,000 buyout clause in his contract – a move that means he will play under Mick Newell, who both heads cricket operations at Trent Bridge and sits on the England panel.

But Strauss, who upon becoming the director of England cricket in 2015 retained both Newell and Angus Fraser of Middlesex as part-time selectors, insisted if there is an issue it is only in terms of perception.

Strauss said: “[Botham] is 100% wrong if he’s implying that [Coughlin] has gone there on the back of one of our selectors saying he’s got a better chance of playing for England coming to my county. They won’t say that. And if they did, that would be a problem.”

Even without such direct enticement, the appeal of the two counties could yet be greater in the minds of potential recruits. Strauss, however, claimed this not to be the case, instead stating it could equally work against a player’s chances and pointing to the fact each individual selector is in a minority on the panel.

He added: “I believe that if players are going to move, they are thinking about the quality of the club, their chances of playing and how that might further their chances of playing for England. I don’t think the fact an England selector might be a director of cricket influences their decision.

“[Newell and Fraser] are two outstanding individuals and although there might be a perception of conflict of interest, I just don’t believe that to be the case.”

The two will join the national selector, James Whitaker, the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, and the Test captain, Joe Root, next week to draw up their squad for the Ashes series. Strauss, who will also sit in on the meeting, described England as “in a great position” to defend the urn but also conceded they will be travelling to Australia at the end of October without “absolute clarity on what our best XI is”.

Strauss led England to a 3-1 victory in Australia in 2010-11 and on what will face Root, who is only seven Tests into his own reign, he said: “It’s the biggest challenge an England captain will ever have. You are living in this incredible bubble for a long period of time, everything is directed towards you as England captain in terms of being responsible for what’s happening on the pitch.

“Certainly for me it was my greatest moment as an England captain, and I think Joe will be incredibly motivated to do that early in his captaincy career. He’s got a great chance, he’s started brilliantly. He’s shown that he’s very much his own man, he’s got his own way of thinking about the game and that will stand him in very good stead in Australia.”

As well as their squad, England also intend to name their coaching staff for the tour. It is due to include Paul Collingwood, the Durham captain, as an assistant coach and the former New Zealand international Shane Bond as a short-term fast-bowling consultant while they seek a long-term replacement for the departed Ottis Gibson.

There are no plans for a pre-tour bonding camp, as there were before the last two Ashes tours, with wildly contrasting results. There will, however, be intense fitness work both before the squad depart and during the warm-up period with England, in Strauss’s words, needing to “hit the ground running” before the first Test in Brisbane starting on 23 November.

England have two injury concerns among the bowlers. Toby Roland-Jones underwent a scan on Wednesday following a back and side problem and Mark Wood is currently missing from the Durham side taking on Sussex due to continued discomfort in his left heel.

Wood will likely need to play his side’s final match with Worcestershire next week to make the squad, with the Lions tour to Australia that runs concurrently a second option if not.