Steve Harmison, Ryan Sidebottom join Yorkshire's interim coaching staff

Steve Harmison and Ryan Sidebottom, the former England fast bowlers, have joined Yorkshire's coaching staff on an interim basis.

Recruited by former team-mate Darren Gough, who recently took over as managing director in the wake of the club's racism scandal, the pair will support Tim Boon, the former England assistant coach who will lead training during pre-season preparations.

Fielding specialist Cookie Patel, Thunder head coach Paul Shaw, former Durham and Sussex wicketkeeper-batter Martin Speight and Northern Diamonds performance coach Richard Waite will provide additional coaching support.

"I am delighted that we have been able to secure interim support of the highest quality, all of whom have many years of experience between them, and our players will hugely benefit from their vast knowledge and expertise," Gough said.

A Yorkshire club statement added that "all the individuals offering support are not applicants for any of the permanent coaching vacancies currently being recruited". The application deadline for the head coach role has now closed with the club set to review applications in the coming days.

Yorkshire appointed Gough last month, filling the role vacated by Martyn Moxon, one of 16 members of the back-room staff axed following the allegations of institutional racism made against the club by Azeem Rafiq. Gough's initial appointment is set to run to the end of the 2022 season, overseeing strategy, planning, recruitment and development.

It is Harmison's first foray into coaching with a county side since he retired as a player in 2013, having managed Ashington football club and worked in the media, including on BT Sport's Ashes coverage and with Gough on talkSPORT radio. He spent a brief stint on loan at Yorkshire from Durham during his playing days.

Sidebottom ended his playing career at Yorkshire, where he won three County Championship titles. He retired in 2017 and spent a year as a bowling coach with Surrey.

Boon was part of Duncan Fletcher's staff when England won the 2005 Ashes and also coached Leicestershire before becoming an an ECB cricket liaison officer and match referee.