LONDON: Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell is readying himself for an interview for the vacant position of England coach.

The opening round of the 2014 County Championship season has pitted Newell's side against a Lancashire team coached by ex-England boss Peter Moores, also a candidate to replace Andy Flower after the former Zimbabwe batsman stepped down following the team's 5-0 Ashes rout in Australia.

And while late form has often swung selections as far as getting a player into a Test side is concerned, Newell said he did not expect the outcome of the ongoing clash at Trent Bridge to have a bearing on the identity of the next England coach.

“I'd like to hope not,” Newell said late on Monday of a race where former England spinner and Warwickshire coach Ashley Giles is also a contender despite overseeing England's recent Twenty20 humiliation by the Netherlands.

“I would have liked to have thought it was a little more scientific than that.”Asked if he had been told when he would be interviewed, Newell added: “No I haven't.

“Nothing is happening this week. I've applied and I understand I'm on a shortlist but I don't know as and when there are any interviews.”

On the field, Nottinghamshire got themselves back into the match on a rain-marred second day at Trent Bridge, reducing Lancashire to 77-6 in reply to the hosts' first innings 272.

Debutant Jake Ball took he first wickets of his Championship career — with former South Africa batsman Ashwell Prince his first scalp.

“With the new ball we were quite tight and didn't give too much away,” Newell said. “I was quite pleased with that.”