Cricket: Fred wanted KP and coach to stay on.

ENGLAND all-rounder Andrew Flintoff insists he wanted both deposed captain Kevin Pietersen and sacked coach Peter Moores to keep their jobs.

Pietersen resigned last week and Moores was fired by the England and Wales cricket board following a major disagreement between the pair.

Speculation has persisted about Flintoff's role in the saga but the former stand-in captain, who was overlooked in favour of Andrew Strauss when Pietersen's replacement was chosen last week, insists he gave both men his backing.

"I hoped both of them could carry on in their jobs," he said. "I supported Kevin as captain and I also enjoyed working with Peter. It is a shame that things had to end the way they did.

"I guess something had to happen, but I probably didn't realise how serious it was between them. Having only been involved for a short space of time I didn't see it coming."

Flintoff backed Strauss to succeed as captain, adding: "The captaincy is not something I'm hanging out for.

"I had a go at it and I found it quite difficult trying to bat, bowl, field at slip and then captain as well.

"My priority is getting a win in the West Indies."

CAPTION(S):

England ace Andrew Flintoff