Giles in charge at Warks

Former England spinner Ashley Giles has returned to Warwickshire as their new director of cricket just a month after being forced to retire from playing because of a chronic hip complaint.

Giles, 34, has joined his former county as successor to Mark Greatbatch, who left by mutual consent with a year remaining on his contract after Warwickshire suffered double relegation in the LV County Championship and NatWest Pro-40 league.

Giles, who joined Warwickshire in 1992, was preferred to his former county captain, Dermot Reeve, for the job.

He has signed a 12-month rolling contract and will now begin the process of assembling his own coaching team.

Giles' last appearance for Warwickshire came in the 2005 C&G Trophy final against Hampshire at Lord's.

He was appointed the county's vice captain for this season, but did not play any competitive cricket because he suffered a recurrence of his hip problem on their pre-season trip to Grenada in March.

Giles' appointment and Greatbatch's departure were confirmed at a press conference at Edgbaston this afternoon.