Botham '100 percent wrong' over Coughlin move, says Strauss

Cricket - England v New Zealand - Second Royal London One Day International - Kia Oval - 12/6/15 Sir Ian Botham Action Images via Reuters / Philip Brown Livepic

(Reuters) - All-rounder Paul Coughlin did not move to Nottinghamshire because the county's director of cricket Mick Newell is also an England selector, England cricket boss Andrew Strauss said.

Durham chairman Ian Botham expressed his frustration after the 24-year-old Coughlin signed a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire after rejecting a new deal with his side. The former England all-rounder said the decision could have been influenced by Newell's position.

England director of cricket Strauss said Botham would be wrong to imply there was a conflict of interest and that players who swap counties only consider the quality of teams and the chance to further their careers.

Cricket - England v Australia - Investec Ashes Test Series First Test - SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, Wales - 8/7/15 ECB Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss before the first Ashes test match Reuters / Philip Brown Livepic

"He (Botham) is 100 percent wrong if he's implying that (Coughlin) has gone there on the back of one of our selectors saying he's got a better chance of playing for England coming to my county," Strauss told British media.

"They won't say that. And if they did, that would be a problem. If players are going to move, they are thinking about the quality of the club, their chances of playing and how that might further their chances of playing for England.

"I don't think the fact an England selector might be a director of cricket influences their decision."

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)