DAVID Boon has ruled himself out of the running to succeed Dav Whatmore as the Lancashire coach.

Boon completes his three-year contract as player-coach of Durham this season and is a good friend of Lancashire chairman Jack Simmons, a former team mate in Tasmania.

But Boon said today: "I have already accepted a permanent administration position with Tasmanian cricket in Hobart, so I'm not interested in the Lancashire job."

With David Lloyd also out of contention because of his commentating contract with Sky, Lancashire are running out of obvious candidates.

They have handed sole charge to captain John Crawley for the rest of the season when Whatmore leaves at the end of the month and if that is a success, may be tempted to do without a coach permanently.

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