Gillespie assistant coach for Australia A

SYDNEY: Former Australian paceman Jason Gillespie has been appointed an assistant coach for Australia A's tour of Zimbabwe this month, Cricket Australia said on Friday.

Gillespie, who captured 259 Test wickets for Australia in a 10-year career, will support head coach Troy Cooley on the month-long tour, which includes one-day and four-day matches.

Gillespie, 36, joins former Test players Justin Langer, Darren Lehmann and Craig McDermott in national and state level coaching roles.

"CA feels this A tour presents a good opportunity to further enhance Jason's elite coaching experience," CA general manager Michael Brown said.

"Jason has recently coached in Zimbabwe and understands the conditions we'll face there. Many of the young up-and-coming players he'll be working with followed his successful international career as schoolboys."

Gillespie spent last southern hemisphere summer as head coach of the MidWest Rhinos in Zimbabwe's first-class competition and was recently the bowling coach for Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League.

"This Australia A tour allows me to further dip my toe into the elite coaching system, to work with some of the best young cricket talent in Australia and to learn from experienced bowling coaches like Troy Cooley," Gillespie said.

Australia A will play a one-day tri-series involving Zimbabwe and South Africa A, before finishing with two four-day matches against Zimbabwe.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011