Former Test captain Tim Paine named Australia A coach for three series

The former wicketkeeper batter has been hired in a consultancy role, including working across the Australia A men's series, supporting the Australia women's team, and balancing his Strikers coaching duties in the Big Bash League.

Paine will sit at the helm when Australia A engages in three 50-over matches and two four-day games in Darwin against Sri Lanka A in July. He will also lead an Australia A squad on a tour of India in September and October for all-format matches. Paine is also expected to coach in a one-off four-day game against the England Lions, which is expected to take place in late October or early November.

In recent years, the 40-year-old has been an assistant coach with Australia A and various development teams. Paine worked under Adam Voges when the Perth Scorchers and Western Australia coach led Australia A during a multi-format home series against New Zealand in 2023.

Paine also served as an assistant coach under CA's national development coach Lachlan Stevens last season when Australia A hosted India A. He took up the mantle of head coach of the Prime Minister's XI when they faced India in Canberra.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Stevens has left his role with Cricket Australia, and Paine will come in to fill his place to coach Australia A against Sri Lanka A with support from new national pace bowling coach Adam Griffith, Australian women's team assistant coach Scott Prestwidge and Northern Territory Cricket's Pathway and Development coach Trent Keep.

Griffith has been sent to the Caribbean to serve as the stand-in bowling coach for the first two Tests against the West Indies because Daniel Vettori is set to miss the whole tour due to family reasons.

Former wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will join Australia's coaching staff as an assistant for the T20Is in the Caribbean. He previously worked as a consultant coach for Australia's white-ball series against Pakistan. (ANI)