Steve Harmison resigns as Ashington manager as two-time Ashes winner leaves Northern League club

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Two-time Ashes winner Steve Harmison has resigned from his position of joint-manager of non-League side Ashington.

The 38-year-old former England fast bowler, who helped his country lift the urn in 2005 and 2009, had been in charge of the Northern League side since February 2015 but has called time on his reign.

He held the position on a sole basis until the end of last season when Tom Wade was brought in as joint-manager.

Steve Harmison has resigned from his position of joint-manager of non-League side Ashington

A club statement read: 'It is with regret that the executive board of Ashington Community Football Club have decided to accept Stephen Harmison's resignation.

'The club would like to place on record its appreciation to Steve and his off field team for their work on behalf of the club over the past few seasons and wish them the very best for whatever they decide to do in the future.

'They leave behind a strong squad of players and we are looking to put a new management team in place, to take the club forward, as soon as possible.

Harmison had been in charge of the ninth-tier Northern League side since February 2015

'Senior players will take charge of the team in the interim and Chairman Ian Lavery will speak to the players ahead of the game on Saturday.'

Ashington, in the ninth tier of English football, won just one of their last five games but are in 12th position with 17 points from their opening 12 games.

Harmison, who has also worked as a cricket pundit since his 2009 retirement from cricket, took 226 wickets in 63 Tests for England and was once ranked as the number one bowler in the world.

The 38-year-old ex-England fast bowler helped his country win the Ashes in 2005 and 2009