Former Test star Ryan Harris has won the race to be Jason Gillespie’s replacement as SA men’s cricket coach

A former Australian Test star has won the race to replace Jason Gillespie - starting immediately.

Former Australian Test star Ryan Harris has won the race to be Jason Gillespie’s replacement as head coach of the South Australian men’s cricket team.

Harris, 44, was favourite for the role following Gillespie’s controversial departure in March when he quit with a year left on his contract to become Pakistan’s Test coach and then fired a parting shot at the lack of support he had received from the SA Cricket Association’s 13 Premier Cricket clubs.

Harris, who joined the SA cricket high performance program as an assistant and bowling coach last season, had been filling in as interim coach while SACA searched for his replacement, undertaking a global recruitment drive.

In the end, the search ended with a popular man in their own backyard.

Harris will start his new role immediately.

Ryan Harris has been appointed as SA cricket men’s coach. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Ryan Harris fires one down for Australia against England at the MCG in 2013.

“We are really excited to welcome Ryan into the head coach role,’’ SACA president Will Rayner said.

“We conducted a thorough search process throughout world cricket and not only has Ryan excelled in that process, he has done a brilliant job in the interim role over the past few months.’’

Harris takes over a team that finished in the bottom half of the Sheffield Shield standings for the fourth time in Gillespie’s four years at the helm and hasn’t won a Shield since 1995-96.

For Harris, it is a “come full circle’’ moment.

The former star fast-medium bowler began his career in Adelaide playing for Northern Districts before making his SA Shield debut in 2001, moving to Queensland and then playing 27 Tests for Australia from 2010-15, taking 113 wickets at an average of 23.52.

“I’m thrilled and honoured to be appointed head coach of South Australia where I began my first-class playing journey more than 20 years ago,” Harris said.

“Having worked closely with the team last summer and during our current pre-season training, I know what this squad is capable of and can’t wait to get started and build on the positive steps we saw last year.

Ryan Harris at Redbacks training as a player in 2008.

“Under new captain Nathan McSweeney there is a real sense of self-belief among the group and we’ll be working hard to ensure we hit the ground running with the new season rapidly approaching.”

Harris has had plenty of coaching experience, having led Australia’s men’s under-19s team, including at the 2018 and 2020 World Cups, and being Queensland’s pathways manager before joining SA as an assistant coach.

He also has been involved with Cricket Australia’s high performance coaching program based at the National Cricket Centre and served as the bowling coach of Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.

Harris won’t have to wait long to test his new squad in the heat of battle, with SA starting its season with a One-Day Cup match against Western Australia in Sydney on September 24.

SACA is continuing its search for Gillespie’s replacement as Adelaide Strikers’ men’s coach.

Originally published as Former Test star Ryan Harris has won the race to be Jason Gillespie’s replacement as SA men’s cricket coach