Coach's vitals: Sydney Sixers

From taking Sri Lanka to the World Cup final to taking the helm at the Sydney Sixers, Trevor Bayliss is excited about being part of something special and brand new.

The Sixers have a squad brimming with youth and exuberance, though Bayliss believes T20 is still about the basics.

“It’s still a contest between bat and ball.

“Batsman have to learn to score in unconventional areas and bowlers have to adapt to those situations.”

Bayliss debuted for New South Wales in 1985, playing 58 first-class matches as a batsman, scoring five centuries and 15 fifties in 3060 runs. His best season in 1989-90 yielded 992 runs at 55.11 including two centuries, earning him the Player’s Player of the year award.

Bayliss went into coaching after he retired in 1993, becoming a development officer for NSW Cricket Association and serving as the Second XI coach for a number of years.

He then replaced Steve Rixon as head coach of NSW in 2004-05, guiding the Blues to the Pura Cup title in his first year and the ING one-day trophy the following year.

This success was a factor in Bayliss replacing fellow Australian Tom Moody as the Sri Lanka coach in 2007. There he took Sri Lanka the World Cup final in 2011, losing to tournament co-hosts India.

During the 2009 tour of Pakistan the Sri Lankan team was attacked by terrorists at gun point in Lahore. Bayliss was first thought to be injured from the attack, though he fortunately escaped unharmed.

He gave up his position in Sri Lanka after the World Cup at took the reins at the Sixers earlier this year.

He points out that Twenty20 isn’t just about hitting boundaries; it’s about playing smart for the full 40 overs.

“If you can score at least one of every ball you know full well you’re going to get balls you can hit for four and six.

“A lot of the bowlers these days don’t have just one slower ball, they have three or four change-ups, which really keeps the batters guessing.”

The Sixers coach also believes that T20 could be the new instrument to gain entry into representative cricket, something that has changed during his time in the game.

“Years ago you used to play a lot of backyard cricket and that doesn’t happen anywhere near as much as it used to for the kids of today.

“In another 50 years time, we might be looking back saying that the vehicle to playing top-level cricket has been the Twenty20 format of the game.

“Twenty20 attracts a new style of fan and hopefully through that more and more people become interested in cricket, and out of that more guys go into the longer forms of the game.” says Bayliss

“Hopefully that’s how it evolves.”

NSW, along with Victoria, have a unique situation where their squad is effectively split-in-two to make the two T20 franchises, something that Bayliss acknowledges as an interesting challenge.

“The two [Sydney] coaches won’t have anything to do with their players until five or six days before the first game, where the other State coaches are involved with their players right through from pre-season to the start of the BBL.

“From the teams I’ve been involved with it’s about working hard, working hard on the basics of the game, but most of all enjoying your cricket, enjoying what you’re doing and enjoying your success, and that culture will never change.”

Bayliss says he hopes the new rivalries formed can mirror the intensity of the Rugby League State of Origin series. The contest between players from the same State sides will be entertaining for the fans, and if the players can emulate the same passion as the Origin series that can only be a good thing according to the coach.

The men in pink boast a number of young talent; from Nic Maddinson to Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Steven Smith. Bayliss also expects greater things for Moises Henriques, a player who is yet to reach his full potential.

Former Australia fast bowler Stuart Clark heads the management staff behind the Sixers, a team Bayliss is eager to work with.

“Corey Richards as assistant coach – he’s been around for a while; Stuart Clark will no doubt have some input into the young bowlers.

“Steve Bernard will be our team manager and he brings a lot of experience, and Patrick Farhart is one of the all-time best cricket physios in the world.

“All in all, I think we’ve put in a good team on and off the park.”

Catch the Sydney Sixers in the BBL season opener at the SCG on December 16 where they take on the Brisbane Heat.

You’ve got $10 left in your wallet, what do you do with it?
Spend it on something

What would your partner say is your worst habit?
Whistling

Renovate yourself or hire a tradie?
If I can’t do it myself then I’ll hire a tradie

What’s the one job around the house you hate doing?
Cooking – because I can’t!

What’s your Saturday morning routine in the off-season?
Have a coffee then read the papers.

How do you take your coffee?
White with one

What was the last concert you went to?
Probably Queen in the 1980s

If you were auditioning for MasterChef, what would you cook?
Toast - badly

Favourite iPhone App?
Don’t have one

What non-cricket website do you go to every day?
Sydney Morning Herald

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What are they?

Which famous people do you follow on Twitter?
No Twitter