Andrew Strauss has confirmed for the first time that he has considered the possibility of applying to succeed Hugh Morris as the managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board. Even if he does not apply, Strauss may be offered an alternative route into administration with his former county, Middlesex, if Angus Fraser, the former England seamer who is currently their managing director of cricket, is appointed by the ECB.

Fraser has been non-committal when asked about the possibility of succeeding Morris, who announced immediately after the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval last month that he will be leaving the ECB after almost seven years to return to his old club, Glamorgan, as chief executive.

The ECB advertised the position, which was created after the Schofield Report of 2007, stipulating that international playing experience is necessary.

Strauss has taken a year to assess his options since retiring as a player late last summer, was immediately linked with the job. "I'm looking into it," he confirmed in an interview to promote the Chance to Shine charity. "They're decisions that need to be made over the next couple of weeks and I'll think quite long and hard about whether it's the right time and the right job for me.

"One of the things you've got to be very careful with when jobs like these become available is to understand the actual job properly. I've obviously seen Hugh Morris do parts of his job but not the whole job."

The 36-year-old has had some involvement with the ECB this year and has also dipped his toe into the media with a Sunday newspaper column and as a summariser for Sky. But succeeding Morris now would mean that Andy Flower, with whom he worked so closely and effectively as England captain and team director respectively, becomes answerable to Strauss – which could be an uneasy position for both.

Suggestions that Flower could move upstairs to Morris's position have been scotched by the confirmation that he will definitely continue in charge of the England team for this winter's Ashes tour – and it would be a major surprise if he does not stay on for next summer's home series against India, with 2015 still seeming the most suitable time for him to hand over to the one-day coach, Ashley Giles, after the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

So Fraser looms as a credible alternative to both Strauss and Flower for the ECB. The 48-year-old has held a range of positions since retiring in 2002 and has won admiration for re-establishing Middlesex in Division One of the County Championship.

Elsewhere the Glamorgan seamer Simon Jones has announced his retirement from first-class and List A cricket a day after his fellow 2005 Ashes winner Matthew Hoggard. Jones, 34, will, however, continue to be available for Twenty20 contracts after his current deal expires at the end of the season.



Andrew Strauss joined Michael Vaughan on his 500-mile charity bike ride in aid of Chance to Shine and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation