SWINDON Cricket Club have pulled off a major coup in bringing in former England star Phillip DeFreitas as their new head coach.

The County Ground side unveiled the 50-year-old at lunchtime today with DeFrieitas agreeing a three-year deal with the West of England Premier League WEPL Wiltshire outfit.

A former World Cup finalist in 1987 and 1992, DeFreitas took 140 Test wickets for England in 44 appearances between 1986 and 1995 and was part of Mike Gatting’s side that won an Ashes series Down Under in his international debut year.

As well as being one of England’s main strike bowlers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the seamer, nicknamed Daffy, made 103 one-day international outings, which took in three World Cups and snared 115 wickets.

In his county cricket career, DeFreitas played for Leicestershire, Lancashire and Derbyshire where he took more than 1,000 wickets and scored more than 10,000 runs before retiring from the professional game in 2005.

Since his retirement from the professional game, DeFreitas, who will be working closely with all of Swindon’s coaches to help develop players from their youth, ladies and senior sections, has been coaching in schools and has also worked with the Oxford UCCE side.

Swindon chairman Tom Foreman said: “I’m excited about the benefit this signing can have for both current, prospective and future players in the Swindon area.

“We plan to deliver success on and off the cricket field in a manner that matches the history and former pedigree of the club.

“The signing of a head coach with Phil's calibre and experience represents a key milestone within the clubs ambitious five-year plan.”

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