Ashley Giles: Warwickshire name Lancashire head coach as sport director

Ashley Giles spent 14 years as a player with Warwickshire

Ashley Giles has left Lancashire to rejoin Warwickshire as sport director.

Ex-England spinner Giles, 43, was previously director of cricket at Edgbaston and he will oversee both the men's and women's teams, as well as the club's academy, in his new role.

Dougie Brown left Warwickshire by mutual consent in October after four seasons in charge.

Giles was Lancashire's cricket director and head coach for two years but he was keen to move closer to his family.

He was Warwickshire's leading choice to replace Brown and, having reached an agreement with the Bears, Lancashire have released him from his contract at Old Trafford, which was due to expire in 2018.

Recently appointed first-team coach Jim Troughton will report to Giles, who left Warwickshire in 2012 to become England's one-day coach following the Bears' seventh County Championship triumph.

"The new role at Edgbaston is a great opportunity and I am delighted to return to Warwickshire," said Giles, who spent 14 years as a Warwickshire player and featured in 54 Tests for England.

"While I have a lot of history with the Bears and have previously enjoyed success as a player and a coach, this is a brand new challenge and I look forward to meeting up with all the players and the new management team in January."

Ashley Giles guided Warwickshire to the County Championship title in 2012

Giles led Lancashire to promotion into County Championship Division One and a maiden T20 Blast title in 2015, before they narrowly avoided relegation by finishing seventh in the Championship in 2016.

He added: "I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Lancashire and I would like to thank chairman Michael Cairns and the board for the opportunity to work as director of cricket at such a great club.

"I am also very grateful for their understanding and for agreeing to release me from my contract so that I can take up this new role with Warwickshire and move back to the Midlands, where my family have remained."

Lancashire have placed Glen Chapple in charge as acting head coach, with another former captain Mark Chilton as acting assistant coach.