Adelaide, Aug 15 (IANS): Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has been appointed as the new head coach of the Adelaide Strikers for the next two years, the Big Bash League club said.
Paine took over from Jason Gillespie, who stepped down in March after four seasons at the helm. His first formal duty as Strikers' coach will be attending the BBL 14 Player Draft on September 1, along with captain Matt Short.
The 39-year-old served as an assistant coach to Gillespie last summer after calling time on his playing career in 2022. Paine’s coaching stint comes less than two years after he played his final game in the BBL with the Hobart Hurricanes.
Furthermore, he has worked as a coach and mentor with Australia's Under-19 program and is currently in Darwin as an assistant coach with NT Strike in the Top End T20 Series.
Paine represented Australia in 35 Tests (23 of those as captain) as well as 35 One Day Internationals and 12 T20 internationals during his 17-year senior playing career. During his playing days, he also scored almost 6,500 first-class runs (including three centuries) and more than 5,600 runs in limited-over cricket.
"I am honoured and excited by the opportunity to coach such a well-established and strongly supported club, and I can’t wait for the start of BBL 14 in December,” Paine said in a statement released by club.
"After spending time in Adelaide last year, I believe the Strikers team and the whole of South Australian cricket has huge potential, and I’m looking forward to being part of taking it forward and winning a few trophies. I believe we have an immensely talented and versatile squad, which we will finalise over the next few weeks,” he added.
Paine’s appointment comes after the South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) decided to separate the roles of South Australia men’s team and Strikers BBL head coach, which were both held by Gillespie.
Ryan Harris, a former Test fast bowler, was recently appointed as the coach of South Australia’s men’s team.
Since winning the BBL title under Gillespie in BBL 07, the Strikers have consistently reached the playoff rounds but have fallen short of another championship. However, after a slow start to BBL 13 last season, the Strikers found form to win five consecutive games before being knocked out in the Challenger final by the eventual champions, Brisbane Heat.