Ashley Giles appointed as England limited overs head coach

Ashley Giles will take over as England limited overs head coach, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday as officials try to ease the burden on team director Andy Flower.

However, the ECB stressed Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman, will remain team director and "continue to be responsible for the preparation and playing strategies for the England men's cricket teams supported by Ashley Giles".

There have been concerns about the workload being carried by Flower for the past five-and-a-half-years, which has seen England win home and away Ashes series, and there were fears he could be lost to 'burn-out'.

Flower will continue to tour with the England test side during both home and away series but will no longer be responsible for the day to day leadership of the England ODI and T20 sides, with Giles now taking on that responsibility.

Giles, a former England left-arm spinner who was an Ashes winner as a player in 2005, is already a member of the England selection panel and as a coach helped guide Warwickshire, the club he represented during his first-class career, to this season's County Championship title.

But as a result of his new role Giles will now give up his position with the Midlands county.

Both Flower and Giles will remain England selectors in a panel currently chaired by former test offspinner Geoff Miller.