Six candidates for fast-bowling coach

With the surprise exit of Craig McDermott as Australia’s fast-bowling coach today, we look at some candidates who could potentially replace him in the role.

Though he may not boast much coaching experience, Harris appears a strong contender for the position given his close association with head coach Darren Lehmann and his familiarity with the inner workings of the Australia set-up. A veteran of 27 Tests and 113 wickets, Harris only retired from his own playing career last July, but had already dipped his toe in the coaching waters, serving as assistant coach of Australia A and working as a mentor for Queensland Cricket. The 36-year-old helped out with the Prime Minister's XI and Cricket Australia XI in Canberra last October, before mentoring a squad of Under-17 talent at the Under-19 national championships in December.

Andy Bichel

Another Queensland fast-bowling product, Bichel has always thrown himself into whatever role he's performed with serious gusto, and coaching is no different. With 19 Tests (58 wickets) and 67 ODIs (78 wickets) to his name, the blond former speedster is no stranger to international cricket, and following his retirement in 2009, he took up a position the next year as bowling coach with Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings. A year later, Bichel was made head coach of Papua New Guinea, and also spent time as an Australian selector between November 2011 and May 2014. Interestingly, the Australia bowling coach role is one he was interviewed for in 2011, prior to McDermott's first appointment. The 45-year-old played seven Tests alongside Lehmann.

Allan Donald

A fast-bowling giant of the game, the first strike against Donald's name when considering McDermott's most likely replacement is the simple fact that he isn't Australian. Lehmann is yet to go outside his countrymen for coaching roles and it remains to be seen whether that's a hard and fast rule, or if a well-credentialed candidate would buck that trend. Donald's coaching pedigree extends back to 2007, shortly after his playing days, when he took on the role of temporary bowling coach for England, and also went on to coach Warwickshire, where he had played. The former right-arm quick has also filled the bowling coach role for New Zealand and his native South Africa, while he was more recently believed to have been in line to take over at the Bloemfontein-based Knights franchise in South Africa, a side he took temporarily between January 14 and February 14 this year having previously played an assistant role to Nicky Boje.

Shane Bond

A menacing paceman in his day whose career was beset by injuries, Bond took up the bowling coach reins for New Zealand in October 2012 and only relinquished them after the Black Caps reached last year's World Cup final. Bond was said to have had a considerable impact on the performances of key fast-bowling pair Trent Boult and Tim Southee, and was picked up by eventual IPL premiers Mumbai Indians for the 2015 edition of the tournament, where he worked under Ricky Ponting in the same role. For BBL|05, he took on the fast-bowling coach position under Daniel Vettori at the Brisbane Heat. Like Donald, the New Zealander's country of origin may count against him, however the word of Ponting would likely hold some sway with Lehmann if the Tasmanian offers a glowing endorsement of the 40-year-old.

Jason Gillespie

Currently splitting his time between Yorkshire – who he has taken to back-to-back titles in the County Championship – and Adelaide Strikers in the KFC Big Bash League, Gillespie was a front-runner for the England head coach role when it was made available ahead of last year's Ashes. The former paceman, who took 259 wickets in 71 Tests, has emerged as one of the world's best young coaches in recent seasons, largely off the back of his transformation of Yorkshire and his overseeing of some of England's best young talent, such as Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Adil Rashid. As such, 'Dizzy' could even be over-qualified for a bowling coach role, though his friendship with former Australia and Redbacks teammate is well known and, if given the 'assistant coach' title as McDermott was officially labelled, he could potentially be an overall contributor to the Australian cricket team brains trust.

Damien Wright

Wright is the only player on this list without international experience, and could well be discounted as a contender for that reason alone. The Hobart Hurricanes head coach has also had a stint as bowling coach with the Black Caps, and took the Hurricanes to the BBL final in the summer of 2013-14. The 40-year-old was a regular for Tasmania for more than a decade, and had a decorated county cricket career, taking 406 first-class wickets in total, and has established himself as a coach who quickly creates a positive environment within his teams.