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Ex NZ quick named NSW bowling coach

Andre Adams to work under Phil Jaques as off-season changes continue at NSW Blues

Former New Zealand quick Andre Adams will work with some of the best fast bowlers in the world after he was named the new bowling coach of NSW Blues.

A right-arm seamer and damaging lower-order batsman, Adams played 47 times for the Black Caps between 2002 and 2007 and enjoyed a long first-class career in both New Zealand and England.

Since retiring, he's been the bowling coach at Auckland and also worked as a consultant for both the men's and women's national teams in New Zealand.

The 42-year-old joins the staff of new Blues head coach Phil Jaques and will work with pace aces Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood whenever the star trio aren't on international duty.

"Andre comes highly recommended and we look forward to the significant contribution he can make across our squad," Jaques said.

"Senior players will benefit from his approach as a solutions-based coach and the young fast bowlers we have in the squad will learn from a bowler who was successful in first class cricket for almost 20 years."

Adams, who took almost 700 first-class wickets in a career that lasted close to 20 years, said he would bring something different to the coaching staff.

"NSW cricket has a wonderful culture of success and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity help add to that culture," he said.

"I’m not so much the technical bowling coach, I’m more how you manage situations and how you problem solve. We did a few things at training on Monday around `if you needed to do this how would you do it?’

"It’s what you need to do in a game, it’s just done a little differently than your traditional coaches."

The appointment of Adams is the latest change to the Blues in the off-season; Jaques replaced former head coach Trent Johnston earlier this year while Peter Nevill was named captain for the upcoming season.

There has also been significant upheaval in the playing ranks; following the retirements of veterans Ed Cowan and Doug Bollinger, the Blues cut loose Australia T20 batsman Nic Maddinson and youngster Jay Lenton, while quick Gurinder Sandhu moved to Tasmania. 

In their place, five talented rookies - Jason Sangha, Param Uppal, Dan Fallins, Mickey Edwards and Liam Hatcher - were upgraded to full contracts.

A re-jigged domestic season means the Blues will play five rounds of the JLT Sheffield Shield before the start of the Test summer on December 6. 

However, it's unlikely NSW's Test quicks will be available for much of the Shield season due to a Test tour of the UAE and limited-overs matches against South Africa and India in November.