Nielsen announced as Aus coach

South Australian Tim Nielsen has today been as named the next coach of the Australian cricket team. He will succeed John Buchanan when his tenure finishes at the end of the World Cup.

Nielsen is the current head coach at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence and recently spent three years serving under John Buchanan with the Australian national side.

Nielsen said he was thrilled to take on the role, speaking of exciting challenges in the future with the retirements of key players.

“I’m incredibly proud, honoured and excited to have been offered this opportunity. Moving forward, this job represents a great opportunity to work with a fine group of players who are an excellent cricket team,” he said.

“Over the coming period there will be some transition in the playing group and I look forward to working with the exciting emerging talent in this country as well as the established members of the squad.”

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said he was delighted with the appointment of Nielsen as coach of the Australian cricket team.

“I’m very pleased that Tim Nielsen will be the next coach of the Australian team. He has been an unqualified success at State level, within the Australian team set-up as assistant coach and currently leads our globally acclaimed programme at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence,” he said.

“It is testament to Australian cricket’s high performance programmes that the new coach has been appointed from within our coaching system. His relationships with our established players and rising stars are excellent and I know the playing group is looking forward to working with him when John Buchanan retires after the World Cup.”

Nielsen played 101 first class matches as a wicketkeeper-batsman for South Australia taking a state record of 316 dismissals.