SACA resumes search for new Redbacks head coach

Former Australia Test greats Rod Marsh, Belinda Clark and Michael Hussey will help decide South Australia's new men's team coach after the search for Jamie Siddons' replacement was stalled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The trio will be joined on the selection panel by SA Cricket Association Chief Executive Officer Keith Bradshaw and the West End Redbacks' High Performance General Manager (and former Australia coach) Tim Nielsen.

The Redbacks have begun a full pre-season program despite not having a coach at the helm, with the work currently being overseen by assistant coaches Luke Butterworth and Greg Blewett as well as Physical Performance Manager, Stephen Schwerdt.

Siddons parted ways with the SACA by mutual agreement last March after several seasons of poor results for the Redbacks, but the search for his successor was halted just weeks later due to the financial fall-out from the COVID19 pandemic.

After a hiatus of more than three months, SACA announced today it will accept applications for the coaching role even though the findings of a completed external review into its cricket operations are yet to be publicly released.

Jason Gillespie, the former SA fast bowler who has coached Adelaide Strikers in the KFC BBL since 2015, has been touted as a front runner for the job even though he recently extended his contract as coach of English county, Sussex, until the end of the 2022 season.

Among others mentioned as possible candidates are former Surrey coach and Australia assistant Michael Di Venuto (who has worked with Gillespie at the Strikers in recent years), ex-Test players and Cricket Australia high performance staff Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers, and former SA captain Michael Klinger.

The five-person panel will focus on several key criteria among applicants, including "showing passion and commitment to South Australia and South Australian cricket, and experience with a range of teams", SACA said in a statement released today.

"The men’s head coach position is a vital one for South Australian cricket and it is now time for that person to push the program forward," SACA President Andrew Sinclair said.

"We appreciate the work of Luke Butterworth and the entire high performance department who have led the Redbacks’ pre-season program to date.

"As we are already in pre-season, we would like to make the appointment as soon as possible, however will not rush the decision to ensure we get the right candidate.

"There have been high calibre people who have already shown interest, and we will begin talking to them and others as soon as we can."

Marsh, the ex-Test keeper and national selection panel chair, is a serving SACA Board member while Clark, the former Australia women's team captain, is Cricket Australia's Executive General Manager Community Cricket.

Hussey was engaged by SACA earlier this year to undertake a wide-ranging review into all aspects of cricket in South Australia, a similar role to that he performed in Tasmania three years ago.

That process was completed last month and submitted to the SACA Board for consideration, and its recommendations and actions stemming from it are expected to be announced in coming weeks.