Gillespie resigns from Yorkshire post

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie will leave his post as Yorkshire’s 1st XI coach at the end of the 2016 season.

Gillespie is the current Adelaide Strikers coach in the KFC Big Bash League, and after his wife Anna and four children visited Australia last month, the 41-year-old decided the time was right to leave Headingley.  

In a press release issued on Monday, Yorkshire thanked Gillespie for his stint at the club, where he led the club out of second division and to back-to-back County Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Since his appointment in 2011, the 71-Test veteran has lost only five matches out of 76 at the helm of Yorkshire, who currently sit second behind Middlesex on the division one County Championship points table.

Gillespie enjoyed a successful first year at the helm of the Strikers last summer, guiding his charges to the top of the BBL|05 standings before a semi-final loss to overall winners Sydney Thunder ended their season.

Captor of 259 Test wickets, Gillespie was linked to the Australian Cricket Team bowling coach role this winter vacated by Craig McDermott at the end of the World T20 in March.

While coach Darren Lehmann did reach out to his former teammate to gauge his interest in the position, Gillespie categorically ruled himself out of the running.

"I was made aware that Darren (Lehmann) referred to me by name in a radio interview last month," Gillespie said in May. "It appears from media speculation that I am someone that Darren and Cricket Australia wish to speak to.

"At this point in time, I haven't had a conversation with Darren about any role with Cricket Australia and I have not applied for any role with Cricket Australia. 

"I want to make it clear that I am happy in my role with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Adelaide Strikers."

Former South Africa spearhead Allan Donald was appointed in the role for the ongoing Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka before Victoria Bushrangers coach David Saker signed a three-year deal last month.