Andrew Flintoff has stepped down as head coach of England Lions. The 48-year-old former all-rounder thanked managing director Rob Key for trusting him with one of the most important roles in English cricket. Flintoff was named head coach of Australian Big Bash franchise Sydney Thunder in June and will now depart the national set-up. He said he enjoyed working with the best young cricketers and took pride in seeing them develop.

Flintoff had been in charge of the Lions since September 2024. He also coached Northern Superchargers for two seasons in The Hundred but was not retained for 2026. His last assignment was South Africa A's tour of England, where his side lost both four-day matches and two of three 50-over games. ECB performance director Ed Barney praised him for transforming the Lions environment and maximising expertise around the group.

Mike Yardy will step in as head coach for the four-day match against Pakistan at Beckenham from 12 August. The Lions will also play Sri Lanka in T20 warm-ups in September.