Warwickshire’s sporting director Ashley Giles, who played 54 Tests and 62 ODIs for England between 1997 and 2006, is set to replace Andrew Strauss as England’s new director of cricket.

The former England bowler is reportedly finalising contract details after Strauss announced in October that he was to step down because his wife Ruth has cancer.

The 45-year-old Giles, who had a stint as England’s ODI coach for 18 months until 2014, will take the reins at a crucial time, with England hosting both the World Cup – a trophy they’re favourites to lift – and the Ashes in 2019.

Giles, who featured in the famous 2005 Ashes epic, took over as Lancashire coach after his previous job with the ECB, before returning to his beloved Warwickshire in 2017.

Surrey’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, and the director of cricket for England women, Clare Connor, were both mooted as candidates but did not apply, according to the Evening Standard.