The former Australian cricketer Ryan Harris replaces Jason Gillespie as South Australia Head Coach for the men’s squad.
Harris started his career with the South Africa state squad and has been leading the men’s program on an interim basis for the last few months while the role was recruited for and will take over full-time immediately as a pre-season start soon.
It is not yet confirmed who will become Adelaide Strikers’ BBL head coach but it’s understood the splitting job has become increasingly likely. “I’m thrilled and honored to be appointed Head Coach of South Australia where I began my first-class playing journey more than 20 years ago,” Harris said.
Former Australian Test bowling hero Ryan Harris has been appointed Head Coach of South Australia’s Men’s Team, taking over the top job in the State where his storied cricket career began. Read more: https://t.co/8ZPeCleQ4U pic.twitter.com/2TUzp7Y0vi
— South Australia Cricket Teams (@SACricketTeams) August 6, 2024
“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.
“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.”
South Africa finished fifth in the Sheffield Shield last season after a place in 2022-23. They also completed at the bottom of the Marsh Cup after reaching the final in the previous season.
The Sheffield Shield window might see more international players like Travis Head and Alex Carey during October.
After retiring, Harris has been the coach of Australia men’s U-19 team at the 2018 and 2020 World Cups and has also worked in the IPL with Kings Xl Punjab and Delhi Capitals. He has also worked as a consultant with the men’s team while Justin Langer was coach.
He was appointed as Queensland Cricket’s pathway manager in 2021. He applied to be the head coach of Australia Women after Matthew Mott left as bowling coach after a tour of New Zealand in the same year.
“We are really excited to welcome Ryan into the head coach role,” SACA president Will Rayner said today. “We conducted a thorough search process throughout world cricket. Not only has Ryan excelled in that process, he has done a brilliant job in the interim role over the past few months.”
“With a new captain in Nathan McSweeney and a developing young team we are really looking forward to seeing the South Australian men’s side take great strides forward this coming summer,” concluded Will Rayner.
