By IANS,
London : Duncan Fletcher’s appointment as consultant to South African cricket team has fuelled speculations that he might leak out some of secrets of the England side when they clash next year.
Fletcher, who has been also roped in by Hampshire as an advisor, is unperturbed by such criticism and does not rule out the prospect of taking up the job for a longer term.
“It’s not a case of joining South Africa so I can help them against England,” said Fletcher, who joined as part-time consultant to South African team Monday.
“But if South Africa are interested and I’m in the position where I want to be involved this time next year, then I’m a professional and we’ll have to see what happens,” Fletcher was quoted as saying in The Guardian.
The appointment of Fletcher ahead of the start of the Test series against Bangladesh at Bloemfontein Wednesday, has raised the tantalising possibility of his taking on the team that he guided to the Ashes in 2005 when England tour the republic in a year’s time.
“Don’t forget, I have been in the reverse situation before, my first tour with England was to South Africa. It’s just a case of doing your job as professionally as possible. With Australia coming up, it’s an exciting time to be involved,” he added.
Fletcher has signed an initial 50-day contract with Cricket South Africa, to be split mainly between the build-up and start of next month’s three-Test tour to Australia and the return tour in the spring.