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Saker chose 'exciting' England over Warks

ESPN staff
January 7, 2013
Steven Finn has benefited from working with David Saker in the England set-up © Getty Images
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England bowling coach David Saker has admitted that the fear of walking away from a golden age in English cricket stopped him from taking the helm at Warwickshire.

The Bears were hoping Saker would succeed new England limited-overs coach Ashley Giles at Edgbaston after enhancing his reputation while working with the national team since 2010.

Saker was in talks with Warwickshire about the position, but decided that the challenge of fulfilling his contract with the ECB, which takes in a string of mouth-watering contests, was too great to give up.

"I had a little meeting with some people at Warwickshire and we talked about it," said Saker, currently with the England squad for their ODI series in India, which begins on Friday.

"I was very interested in it but in the long run I am committed to getting this England team through to the 2015 World Cup.

"I think there is something special coming up. Obviously there is a double Ashes, a Champions Trophy in England and then the World Cup. It's a pretty exciting time to be with England so it just wasn't the right timing."

Saker also played down concerns about the side's form after a humbling warm-up defeat by India A on Sunday.

"We have a pretty clear plan about selection for warm-ups and I don't think that will have changed after yesterday's result," Saker added. "We have a fairly good idea of how our team will look in the first ODI.

"Warm-ups are just that, it's about getting people right for the series."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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