'I am not an Ashes traitor,' says Buchanan

Melbourne, June 1 (ANI): Former coach John Buchanan has denied suggestions that he had sold out Australian cricket by meeting with English officials last week.

London's Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday that Buchanan had met with the English hierarchy and members of their coaching panel to help plot their strategy for next month's Ashes series.

Buchanan, however, defended his right to act as a coaching consultant and denied leaking information Ashes game plans.

"I did meet with them but we did not discuss their Ashes strategy. We mainly talked about the Twenty20 game and the development of their Centre of Excellence. It was basically a continuation of the work I had done (earlier this year) when I spoke to the English Lions team in New Zealand," the Daily Telegraph quoted Buchanan, as saying.

Buchanan felt he had nothing to apologise for, given that coaching had become a global profession and Australian coaches were in demand.

"We have seen that with Eddie Jones in rugby union and also with Wayne Bennett in rugby league," Buchanan said.

After resigning as Australian coach Jones helped South Africa win the last rugby union World Cup while former Australian rugby league coach Bennett last year helped guide New Zealand to a stunning World Cup final triumph against the Australians in Brisbane.

Buchanan is free to link with England because he has no formal contract links with Cricket Australia with the main issue being a moral one about whether he feels comfortable about releasing secrets obtained during his eight-year stint with the Australian side. (ANI)