Boycott warns against new England role for Strauss

LONDON, May 5 (AFP): England great Geoffrey Boycott said he feared "everything will stay the same" were Andrew Strauss put in charge of reviving the country's cricket fortunes, as speculation continued about a role in the national set-up for former Australia paceman Jason Gillespie.

Former captain Strauss appears to be the front-runner to fill the new position of England director of cricket, a post created by the England and Wales Cricket Board last month following Paul Downton's sacking as managing director.

Strauss's fellow ex-England skippers Michael Vaughan and Alec Stewart have also expressed an interest in the role.

But Vaughan appeared to rule himself out after being severely critical of the current set-up in a column for Monday's Daily Telegraph following England's defeat by the West Indies in the third Test in Barbados Sunday.