Australia name new assistants for Comm Games assault

Australia's all-conquering women's team have unveiled a new-look backroom coaching staff they hope will help Meg Lanning's side in their quest for an historic Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Australia will take a completely new coaching outfit to the T20 tri-series against Ireland and Pakistan and the Comm Games in Birmingham in July-August after former head coach Matthew Mott resigned to take charge of England men's ODI and T20 teams.

Jude Coleman, a multiple Indoor Cricket World Cup-winning captain, and Dan Marsh, who led Tasmania to their first Sheffield Shield triumph in 2006-07, have taken over the assistants roles vacated by Shelley Nitschke and Ben Sawyer.

Sawyer has today been announced as the new head coach of the New Zealand women's side while Nitschke stepped into the interim head coach role when Mott left to join the England white-ball sides last month.

Both are familiar with the national set up with Coleman having led the Australia A women's side to a 5-0 clean sweep against England A earlier this year, while Marsh supported her during that series.

Image Id: 8D730FE564CF410994B942A5CDDB6E64 Image Caption: Jude Coleman's career for Queensland spanned from 2004-05 to 2012-13 // Getty

Coleman has extensive experience in the indoor and outdoor formats of the game and is the current assistant coach of the South Australia Scorpions and Adelaide Strikers WBBL side.

She is also a qualified high school PE teacher, having worked in the education system for 12 years before joining Queensland Cricket as a Coach and Talent Development Specialist.

Marsh, who played 150 first-class matches for South Australia, Tasmania and Leicestershire, scoring 8146 runs and collecting 174 wickets with his left-arm spin, is the current assistant coach of the Tasmanian Tigers women's team.

The pair will link up with Nitschke in Brisbane this month when Australia holds its second and final camp ahead of their tour to the UK and Ireland.

Image Id: D81E72176EF343C0BCAF34C668D9982A Image Caption: Dan Marsh was an assistant during the Australia A series against England A // Getty

"It's great to have coaches of such high calibre in the Australian system who we can call upon like we have with Jude and Dan," said Ben Oliver, EGM of High Performance and National Teams.

"Both have extensive coaching and playing experience and did a brilliant job with the Australia A team earlier this year, so we know they'll be of great assistance to Shelley, Meg and the team over the coming months.

"We're excited for Ben and this new opportunity; he's been a key part of the success of our world champion women's team over a number of years and is ready for the challenge of leading an international program."

Sawyer had been Australia's full-time bowling coach since July 2021 having previously been an assistant part-time since 2018 and is a former Sydney Sixers WBBL-title winning head coach.

The 42-year-old joins the NZ squad at their training camp in Mount Maunganui today and his first assignment as White Ferns will be the Comm Games at Edgbaston, which begins on July 29.

"I can't wait to get stuck in," Sawyer said after his appointment.

"I see a lot of potential in this White Ferns group and I feel really optimistic about helping to untap that potential, so they can take their cricket to the next level.

"It's certainly going to be a learning process as I get to know the players and they get to know me, and my cricket philosophies and coaching style."

Australia's ongoing coach appointments are expected to be confirmed after the Commonwealth Games.

Australia's Tour of the UK, 2022

Australia's squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Grace Harris, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Amanda-Jade Wellington

T20 Tri-Series

July 16: Australia v Pakistan

July 17: Australia v Ireland

July 19: Ireland v Pakistan

July 21: Australia v Ireland

July 23: Australia v Pakistan

July 24: Ireland v Pakistan

All matches start 3pm local time (midnight AEST) and played at Bready Cricket Club, Derry, Northern Ireland

2022 Commonwealth Games

July 29 v India (11am local time, 8pm AEST)

July 31 v Barbados (6pm local, 3am Aug 1 AEST)

August 3 v Pakistan (11am local, 8pm AEST)

Group A: Australia, India, Pakistan, Barbados

Group B: England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka

Semi-finals: August 6, 11am local (8pm AEST) and 6pm local (3am Aug 7 AEST)

Bronze medal match: August 7, 10am local (7pm AEST)

Gold medal match: August 7, 5pm local (2am Aug 8 AEST)

All matches played at Edgbaston Stadium