Done deal: Gillespie to coach Redbacks

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been confirmed as South Australia's new men's head coach. 

The South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) unveiled Gillespie on Wednesday after English county side Sussex confirmed the 45-year-old will leave his coaching role and return home at season's end. 

"I’m deeply honoured to be afforded the opportunity to coach the South Australian cricket team," Gillespie said.

"The chance to work with the players, coaches and off field team at the SACA is very exciting.

"Team SACA is something I’m very much looking forward to being a part of.

"I’m very excited!"

Gillespie, who also doubles as Adelaide Strikers head coach, takes the vacant role left by Jamie Siddons, who parted ways with SACA "by mutual agreement" shortly before the completion of last summer's interrupted Marsh Sheffield Shield season, with his team at the foot of the ladder for the third consecutive year.

That was after Siddons, who was appointed in 2015, had guided the Redbacks into consecutive Shield finals in 2015-16 and 2016-17, both of which they lost to Victoria.

The process to find a replacement was stalled by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March which took a significant toll on SA Cricket Association's coffers, and only resumed last month after a wide-ranging review conducted by former Test great Michael Hussey.

That review focused heavily on SA's inability to win Sheffield Shield titles having claimed the prize just twice in the past 44 years with the most recent success coming under Siddons' captaincy (with Gillespie in the team) in 1995-96.

Hussey's review of the Redbacks program called for widespread changes including appointment of a high-calibre coaching unit overseen by a senior coach who is "organised, planned, disciplined, focused on values, standards, culture and development of players".

The report also advised the new coaching structure should include "a balance between people who know the SA way and people from outside the state who have worked in successful programs".

Hussey was also a member of the five-person panel that interviewed the nine candidates short-listed for the job.

Others on that panel were former Australia Test greats Belinda Clark and Rod Marsh, SACA Chief Executive Keith Bradshaw and current Redbacks High Performance General Manager (and former Australia coach) Tim Nielsen.

SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw is confident the extensive search has delivered the right coach.

"The South Australian men’s head coaching role is the most important in South Australian cricket, and we know that Jason is the right person to invigorate our program and push it forward,” Bradshaw said.

"He is a proud South Australian with a phenomenal coaching resume behind him, we have seen how he has worked with the Strikers, leading them to their first title, and I know Jason will give it his all to steer the Redbacks in the right direction.

"We acknowledge that Jason will be in England until October as he is committed to his role with Sussex until the end of their season.

"This is one of the reasons we are delighted to have Jason on board. He is a quality person, once he starts something he is fully committed."

The Redbacks squad returned to training in late May under the stewardship of assistant coaches Greg Blewett and Luke Butterworth, and Physical Performance Manager Stephen Schwerdt.