Aussie bowling coach David Saker steps down ahead of Ashes and World Cup
Former Test bowler Jason Gillespie or NSW bowling coach Andre Adams could be in line to join the Aussie coaching panel after the resignation of national bowling coach David Saker.
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Former Test bowler Jason Gillespie or NSW bowling coach Andre Adams could be in line to join the Aussie coaching panel after the resignation of national bowling coach David Saker.
Just days after Australia’s quicks destroyed Sri Lanka to secure a 2-0 Test series win, Saker quit with head coach Justin Langer declaring it was time to go in a “different direction”.
It’s understood the pair had clashed on occasions, and despite Saker being contracted until after the Ashes this year he resigned with immediate effect.
Langer said they had been talking about the situation since he took over last year. He said they “had a hug” after the last Test in Canberra and conceded the time was right for a change.
“He and I have had a lot of conversations over the last six to nine months, so it’s not really a surprise to be honest,” Langer said.
“In a perfect world it would be cleaner at the end … but I’m all good with it.
“He’s been on this circuit for some time now … it is very hectic. And with the World Cup and the Ashes you have to have your heart 100 per cent in it, and if it’s not, it’s too hard.”
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Tension was evident during the Sydney Test against India last month when Saker revealed he’d had “aggressive” conversations with his fast bowlers for not following team plans.
“The bowlers wanted one thing. (Captain) Tim (Paine) wanted one thing ... you could see there was some confusion,” Saker said at the time.
Australia’s frontline attack came under heavy scrutiny during 2-1 loss to India, with Shane Warne in particular pointing out the ordinary record of Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood against top six batsmen last year.
The pair, along with Pat Cummins combined for 40 wickets in the four matches against India, eight less than the tourist’s three main fast bowlers.
With Jyhe Richardson joining Starc and Cummins against Sri Lanka, Australia’s fast bowlers took 32 of the 38 wickets to fall in the two-matches. But, as in the series against India, not a single one was LBW.
Starc, who injured his pectoral muscle while ripping through the Sri Lankans in Canberra last week, also praised NSW bowling coach Adams for helping him rediscover his best, not Saker.
“I’ve done a bit of work throughout the year with Andre and it was great to talk to him about getting that feeling back,” Starc said.
Adams, from New Zealand, could be a strong contender to replace Saker given his strong rapport with Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins who are all from NSW.
Troy Cooley, the head coach at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane and a former bowling coach for England, will fill Saker’s role for the upcoming limited overs tours of India and Pakistan.
But a decision on a full-time replacement, with both the World Cup and Ashes to come later this year, is yet to be made.
Gillespie has built a strong record coaching in England with the Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. He was also a Test teammate of Langer.
“We’ll look at this for the World Cup and the Ashes and beyond … you have to get the right person,” Langer said.
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