Australia sign up McDermott as bowling coach

SYDNEY,  (Reuters) – Former test paceman Craig  McDermott has been appointed bowling coach for the Australia  team, Cricket Australia (CA) said yesterday.

Craig McDermott

McDermott, who took 291 wickets in 71 Tests for Australia  between 1984 and 1996, will replace Troy Cooley in the role  after being preferred to South African Allan Donald and  compatriot Jason Gillespie, among other candidates.

“It’s great to be back as part of the Australian team set-up  again and I can’t wait to get started working with the bowlers  and the rest of the team,” McDermott said.

“We’ve got some challenging tours ahead in the coming months  but I’m excited at the opportunity to be part of the group that  helps get Australia back to number one in all forms of cricket.”

Australia slumped to fifth in the world test rankings after a  humbling Ashes series defeat earlier this year, during which the  English tourists hammered Australia’s bowling attack in all but  one test.

They tour Sri Lanka and South Africa in the southern  hemisphere winter before hosting New Zealand and top-ranked test  side India at the end of the year.

CA General Manager Michael Brown was delighted to welcome  McDermott to the coaching team alongside head coach Tim Nielsen  and batting coach Justin Langer, whose contract was extended by  another year on Thursday.

“His impressive record as an international player …  combined with his recent record at the Cricket Australia centre  of excellence and with the Australia team in Bangladesh, all  impressed us that he was the outstanding candidate for this  role,” Brown said in a news release.