Mike Hussey to lead full external review of SACA high performance program after three bottom-placed Sheffield Shield finishes
Former star Australian batsman Mike Hussey has been commissioned to undertake an external review of South Australia’s high performance program following three-straight Sheffield Shield wooden spoons.
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Former star Australian batsman Mike Hussey has been commissioned to undertake an external review of the Redbacks’ high performance program following three consecutive Sheffield Shield wooden spoons.
Revealed by South Australian assistant and stand-in coach Greg Blewett, Hussey – nicknamed ‘Mr Cricket’ – has been appointed by the SACA board to take an in-depth look at why the Redbacks have struggled so badly in the past three seasons after making consecutive Shield finals in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Their recent poor form, which saw them go 18 first-class games without a win until they beat Tasmania in Hobart in December, resulted in the sacking of coach Jamie Siddons at the end of the season.
SA has not won a Sheffield Shield since 1995-96.
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Adelaide Strikers coach and leading Redbacks head coaching candidate Jason Gillespie welcomed Hussey’s appointment, saying “he’s a great guy to get on board’’.
“I know ‘Huss’ has been asked to do that,’’ said former SA and Australian fast bowler Gillespie, who led the Strikers to the BBL07 title.
“I don’t know how much that entails but I know Mike has done a couple of things like this in the past, he was a part of a review of Tasmanian cricket a couple of seasons ago and was a director of cricket at Sydney Thunder (BBL team).
“Obviously ‘Huss’ is a highly-respected person within our game and I have known Mike for a long time, I played under-19s with and against him and (other) cricket throughout our careers.
“If the SACA feels that they want to improve things then ‘Huss’ is a great guy to get on board to help with that.’’
Late-bloomer Hussey – a West Australian – played 79 Test matches for Australia from 2005-13, scoring 6235 runs at an average of 51.52, including 19 centuries.
He also captained Australia’s one-day side.
The search for the Redbacks’ next coach is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic and Gillespie said he had yet to be formally approached about the role.
But the head coach of English County club Sussex, who has returned to Adelaide while the English cricket season is in a holding pattern because of COVID-19, said he would “be happy’’ for a chat.
“I’ve been focusing on my role at Sussex and I’m fortunate enough to have a role with the Strikers but I would be happy to field a phone call and have a conversation (with the Redbacks),’’ Gillespie said.
“At the moment, with this pandemic going on, I’ve just been focusing on making sure that all our players and coaching staff and everyone involved at Sussex are looked after.’’
Gillespie – a self-confessed “passionate South Australian’’ – does not feel SA cricket is broken.
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“They’ve probably been a bit disappointed with how things have gone in the past couple of years but from what I’ve seen the personnel hasn’t changed too much,’’ he told ABC Grandstand.
“Things just haven’t clicked for one reason or another.
“The only thing I have noticed is that a couple of influential players, Travis Head and Alex Carey, are playing a little bit more for Australia.
“Couple that with injuries to key bowlers and all of a sudden it tests your depth.
“I suppose South Australia is not quite like New South Wales, where they’ve got a lot of strength in depth and a big population base, that could be one of any number of reasons.
“At the end of the day players just have to go out and get the job done and for one reason or another that hasn’t quite clicked but there are some very good cricketers there in South Australia in the first-class and one-day sides.
“I fully expect them to perform well going forward.’’
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