ANDY FLOWER was yesterday confirmed as England’s new team director after a global recruitment search ended right back on the doorstep at Lord’s.

Flower, 40, was appointed as Peter Moores’ permanent successor after acting as interim head coach on England’s recent 11-week tour of the West Indies.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had engaged professional head-hunting firm Odgers Ray and Berndtson to identify the ideal candidate.

Potential high-profile targets such as Australian Tom Moody and South African Mickey Arthur ruled themselves out of the reckoning while Kent’s Graham Ford withdrew his application.

But Hugh Morris, the ECB’s managing director, who witnessed Flower in action during the West Indies tour, insisted the governing body had not settled for second best in a man with “potential” but no top-level experience as a head coach.

“As a player, Andy became ranked as the number one batsman in the world and the ECB believe he has the vision, the drive and ambition to be just as successful in his new post,” said Morris.

“I was impressed with the way Andy handled the West Indies tour in difficult circumstances.

“We had 30 people apply for the post altogether. We narrowed it down to a shortlist.

There was a great deal of interest and we were very happy with the standard of candidates and we believe we have the right man to do the job for England.

“Andy was a world-class cricketer. We have every belief he is capable of becoming a world-class coach. I believe he has the ability to take England back to where we want them to be.

“He brings honesty, integrity and has a clear vision where he wants to take England.

Andy did a terrific job in the West Indies. He has a strong reputation in the game and we see him as a person to take England forward.”

Flower also brings vital stability and continuity to the England team after a turbulent 12 last months and with a hectic and high-pressure international season looming.

Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood resigned as Test and one-day captains last summer.

Moores and Kevin Pietersen were then removed from their positions as coach and captain respectively after the India tour.

Due to all the upheaval, it took Flower until midway through the West Indies tour to decide that he wanted to apply for the position.

Flower has been given the toughest possible summer in which to cut his coaching teeth, with England facing a return series against the West Indies before the World Twenty20 and then the Ashes.

Ford cited the lack of preparation time for such an important summer as one of the main reasons for withdrawing his application for the position.

Flower’s first selection meeting this weekend will thrash out a Test squad, but he must also appoint a new Twenty20 captain and decide whether he needs to make changes behind the scenes.

High up the agenda at the selection meeting will be the issue of Vaughan and where, if at all, the 2005 Ashes-winning captain fits into England’s plans to regain the urn.

Vaughan started pre-season well for Yorkshire, but squandered a chance to impress the selectors after being dismissed for 12 playing for the MCC against county champions Durham.

“There are some big decisions to make. (Michael Vaughan) will be an interesting topic,” Flower said.

“We have a selection meeting this weekend. We will be discussing all sorts of things.

That is one of the topics we will discuss.

“This is a huge summer of cricket. It is not going to be easy, but the exciting thing is the challenge that presents.

“There is a lot of hard work to be done. I want an ethos of constant improvement. I want us to be physically and mentally tough.

“We will carry on the hard work we put in in the West Indies and take that on.”