Jason Gillespie, Ryan Harris, Michael Di Venuto, Chris Rogers among possible Redbacks coaching candidates
Hometown hero Jason Gillespie is considered the frontrunner to replace Jamie Siddons as South Australian coach for the upcoming cricket season. But there’s some other big names who are also in the mix.
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Former Australian Test star Mike Hussey will have a major say in selecting the Redbacks’ new head coach.
Two weeks after handing the results of his external review into SA high performance cricket to the SACA board, ‘Mr Cricket’ has been named as part of a five-person panel to pick dumped Jamie Siddons’ replacement.
He will sit on a selection panel alongside SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw, high performance general manager Tim Nielsen, former Australian Test star and current SACA board member Rod Marsh and Cricket Australia executive general manager of community cricket and former Australia women’s captain Belinda Clark.
While Adelaide Strikers championship-winning coach and former SA and Australian Test paceman Jason Gillespie remains hot favourite to land the job of resurrecting SA cricket after three consecutive Sheffield Shield wooden spoons, SACA president Andrew Sinclair said the association would cast a wide net as it resumed its coaching search.
The process had been put on hold for several months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Former Australia Test paceman Ryan Harris has publicly declared his interest in the role while former Australia assistant coach Michael Di Venuto, CA development coach Chris Rogers and ex-SA batsman Jeff Vaughan, currently batting coach of Tasmania, have also been mentioned as possible candidates.
Sinclair said the selection panel would consider various factors in picking Siddons’ replacement, including experience with a range of teams and showing passion and commitment to SA cricket.
“The men’s head coach position is a vital one for South Australian cricket and it is now time
for that person to push the program forward,’’ Sinclair said.
“We appreciate the work of Luke Butterworth and the entire high performance department
who have led the Redbacks’ pre-season program to date.
THE STORY SO FAR:
“As we are already in pre-season, we would like to make the appointment as soon as
possible, however we will not rush the decision to ensure we get the right candidate.
“There have been high calibre people who have already shown interest and we will begin
talking to them and others as soon as we can.”
Hussey’s extensive review, which included interviewing more than 100 people associated with SA cricket, took about 10 weeks to complete.
It is now with the SACA board.
The board will delay making any key decisions on the Western Australian’s report until after a major strategy meeting on July 11.
Originally published as Jason Gillespie, Ryan Harris, Michael Di Venuto, Chris Rogers among possible Redbacks coaching candidates