Dizzy strikes the right note to jazz up Strikers

Jason Gillespie is expected to this week put pen to paper on a deal that will see him return to Adelaide to coach the Strikers for the fifth edition of the KFC T20 Big Bash League

The South Australia Cricket Assocation today announced it had parted ways with head coach Darren Berry and is to split the coaching roles of the Strikers and West End Redbacks.

That move paves the way for one of Adelaide's favourite sons to return to take the reins.

Gillespie has committed his future to England county side Yorkshire for now, but has the county's blessing for the Big Bash role, believing his BBL experience will give them an edge in the English domestic Twenty20 league.

The Adelaide Strikers finished top of the KFC T20 Big Bash League ladder for BBL|04 but crashed disappointingly in their semi-final in front of a packed Adelaide Oval.

While "Dizzy" is all but certain for the Strikers the SACA has formed a panel including former Test legend Adam Gilchrist, Cricket Australia's Executive Generam Manager of Team Performance Pat Howard and respected Australian Football League coach David Parkin, along with SACA's chief executive Keith Bradshaw and high performance manager Tim Nielsen, to search for a new Redbacks coach.

"At the moment Jason is committed to Yorkshire for their summer," Bradshaw said on Monday.

"We are in discussions with Jason on the Strikers' side... should we be able to conclude that negotiation, I would be absolutely thrilled.

"His record since he has been at Yorkshire has been outstanding. He is an absolutely quality guy who has shown that not only as a player, but now as a coach he is one of the world's great coaches right now." 

One of cricket coaching's hottest properties after revitalising Yorkshire to claim last season's division one title – their first silverware for 13 seasons – Gillespie has been in high demand.

He was previously approached to lead England in the fallout from the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash, was touted as a possible replacement again after their disastrous World Cup campaign ended before the quarter-final stage and has even been suggested as a potential long-term successor to Darren Lehmann.

In England's domestic T20 competition, the Yorkshire Vikings finished fifth in the 'North Group' with six wins and five losses from 14 games – three were washouts.

He's already made an impact on Australian cricket – Aaron Finch's time with the county last season lead to an upswing in his form, including a century at Lord's in the MCC v Rest of the World exhibition game alongside past legends to celebrate the ground's 200^th anniversary.

This season Finch returns while the county has also recruited hot property Glenn Maxwell, who was lured in part by the prospect of working on his red-ball cricket with Gillespie.

Gillespie's move is one of a number of coaching changes for Big Bash clubs, with former international players leading the charge into the coaching ranks.

The Melbourne Stars appointed former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming as coach, while the Brisbane Heat are understood to be waiting for the conclusion of the World Cup before confirming the Daniel Vettori as their new coach.

The Melbourne Renegades also changed coaches in the off-season with England fast bowling coach David Saker taking the job. Saker, who is contracted to the England and Wales Cricket Board until September but looks set to part ways earlier, is also on the hunt for a Shield role, with vacancies at Victoria, South Australia and Queensland.