ANDREW FLINTOFF is set to miss the back end of England Lions’ tour of South Africa this winter after being unveiled as the new head coach of Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).

The former England captain has been overseeing the second-string Lions since 2024 after gravitating back towards cricket during his rehabilitation from a horrific car crash on the BBC’s Top Gear show.

While the 2026-27 BBL schedule has yet to be announced, it is highly likely there will be some overlap with the Lions in South Africa, which finishes with a four-day game in Benoni starting on December 18.

However, it is understood that the England and Wales Cricket Board is happy for Flintoff to depart South Africa early and continue a burgeoning coaching career in his first role in an overseas T20 league.

“I can’t wait to get over there and get started,” the 48-year-old said.

“I’m looking at this with a lot of optimism. You look at the franchise, you look at the players, you look at the support and I think there’s something really big to build on.

“I want the players to enjoy playing cricket. However, all that is underpinned by hard work — I want them to play with passion and leave everything out there on the field.

“Everyone gets the opportunity to play for all different teams but one of my aims over the time with Sydney Thunder is that every player looks back thinking ‘that’s the best part of the year, that’s a team that I want to play for’.”

Flintoff’s appointment was described by the Thunder in a press release as “their most significant off-field acquisition in club history.”

He replaces former England head coach Trevor Bayliss, who oversaw just two wins last season as the Thunder, captained by former Australia opener David Warner, finished bottom of the eight-team table.

Flintoff spent time with England’s white-ball teams and was part of their backroom staff at the 2024 T20 World Cup, while he had two seasons as Northern Superchargers head coach in The Hundred.

Despite leading them to the Eliminator last season, he was not retained by the Sunrisers group, who acquired the Headingley-based franchise in 2025 and have subsequently renamed the club Sunrisers Leeds.

Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said: “This is a huge day in the history of Sydney Thunder and the BBL more broadly.

“Fred brings something truly unique to Sydney Thunder. He’s a global icon of the game, but more importantly he is a modern leader who understands how to build high-performance environments, connect with players as people and set standards that last.

“The goal here isn’t just about the now, it’s about a step-change to establishing a culture and identity that will set us up for sustained success for years to come.”