South Australia have announced a second major appointment to their high performance department in the past two days

Landing a second significant appointment in as many days, South Australia have announced current New Zealand men’s team high performance manager Simon Insley as their new general manager of cricket.

It follows yesterday’s installation of former pace bowler Mick Delaney as coach of SA’s women’s team.

English-born Insley was previously general manager of high performance with Cricket Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes from 2019-22 before he returned to NZ to take up the role with the Black Caps.

At Adelaide Oval he will replace former Australia men’s team coach and long-serving former SA wicketkeeper-batter Tim Nielsen who parted ways with the SA Cricket Association earlier this year.

“Simon has a proven track record of success in high performing cricket programs,” SACA president Will Rayner said in a statement today.

“His blend of experience at the international level with the Black Caps and New Zealand Cricket combined with his knowledge of the Australian cricketing landscape from his time at Cricket Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes made him a highly appealing candidate.

“Simon was a standout through the recruitment process, bringing innovative ideas, genuine passion and an inclusive and aspirational mindset that we are confident will provide lasting benefits to SACA and the South Australian cricket community.”

Insley’s cricket journey began after graduating in physiotherapy from Nottingham University and embarking on a global working holiday that took him to NZ, where he landed a job as assistant physio with Auckland Cricket.

Two years later he was appointed head physiotherapist and then Auckland high performance manager, which led to stints as team manager for the Black Caps ‘A’ team and a managerial secondment to the senior team when NZ reached the 2019 World Cup Final at Lord’s.

Insley then took up the position in Tasmania where he oversaw the rise of a dominant women’s program that has landed the Tigers three consecutive WNCL crowns.

He returned to NZ in 2022 after reportedly turning down an offer from powerhouse English county outfit Warwickshire to become director of cricket at Edgbaston.

“It’s been an honour to be part of the Black Caps environment,” Insley said today.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with a fantastic group of players and staff during my time as part of the team.

“Forty-three players have represented the Black Caps during that time and I’m excited about the team’s future.

“Whilst my focus is squarely on the (ICC men’s T20 World Cup) tournament ahead, I’m excited by the new challenge ahead of me with South Australia and the opportunity to connect with the South Australian cricket community.”

Due to his involvement with NZ in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States, Insley will not begin his tenure at Adelaide Oval until August.

But he is expected to have input in filling a number of vacancies in a vastly re-shaped men’s cricket operation, which includes the high-profile coaching roles of the SA senior program as well as Adelaide Strikers in the BBL.

Both those positions had been held by former Test quick Jason Gillespie who has taken on the job of coaching Pakistan’s men’s Test team.

Others to have left SACA since last summer are long-serving sports science manager John Porter (to Sri Lanka), physical performance boss Stephen Schwerdt (Westminster School) and player development manager Jace Bode (Netball SA).

It’s understood former Test quick and current SA men’s team assistant coach Ryan Harris is a frontrunner to succeed Gillespie in heading up the Sheffield Shield and one-day program.

And SACA’s preparedness to install a separate BBL coach has potentially opened a door for ex-Test skipper Tim Paine, who served as assistant to Gillespie in the T20 competition last season and has indicated his interest in the Strikers’ top job.

Luke Williams, Delaney’s predecessor as coach of SA’s women’s team who remains at the helm of the reigning champion Strikers WBBL outfit, has already been appointed to a role of assistant coach with the men’s BBL program.

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