Former Test workhorse Ryan Harris replaces Jason Gillespie as South Australia men’s head coach

Sixteen years after turning his back on South Australia and heading to Queensland in search of new challenges, Ryan Harris takes on perhaps the sternest task in Australia cricket as coach of his home state’s success-starved men’s team.

Harris was today confirmed as SA head coach, replacing Jason Gillespie who stood down from his dual role as SA and Adelaide Strikers’ supremo last March and accepted the job in charge of Pakistan’s men’s Test outfit.

While the South Australian Cricket Association are yet to confirm an appointment to the vacant Strikers role, Harris will take on the Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup responsibilities having served as Gillespie’s assistant last summer and his interim replacement for the past five months.

“I’m thrilled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of South Australia where I began my first-class playing journey more than 20 years ago,” Harris said today.

“Having worked closely with the boys last summer and during our current pre-season training, I know what this squad is capable of and can’t wait to get started and build on the positive steps we saw last year.

“Under new captain Nathan McSweeney, there is a real sense of self-belief among the group and we’ll be working hard to ensure we hit the ground running with the new season rapidly approaching.”

After a chronic knee injury forced Harris to call time on his playing days during Australia’s 2015 Ashes campaign in the UK, he turned to coaching and – with current Victoria men’s coach and close friend Chris Rogers – led the national men’s under-19 team to the 2018 and 2020 World Cups.

He also spent time honing his white-ball coaching skills during stints in the Indian Premier League with Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals, and served as consultant bowling coach to the Test team during Justin Langer’s tenure in charge.

The 44-year-old unsuccessfully applied for the job at the helm of Australia’s all-conquering women’s team that was won by Matthew Mott, who recently stood down as England’s white-ball coach.

Harris then took on the role of Pathways Manager at Queensland Cricket but, with an eye to a senior position in his own right, was lured by to Adelaide last year by then SACA High Performance boss Tim Nielsen who had worked with the fast bowler at state and national levels.

“We are really excited to welcome Ryan into the head coach role,” SACA president Will Rayner said today. “We conducted a thorough search process throughout world cricket.

“Not only has Ryan excelled in that process, he has done a brilliant job in the interim role over the past few months.

“With a new captain in Nathan McSweeney and a developing young team we are really looking forward to seeing the South Australian men’s side take great strides forward this coming summer.”

Having admitted to cricket.com.au last year his off-field attitude was a significant factor in failing to fulfil his potential in 26 Shield appearances and more than 50 limited-overs games for SA from 2000-08, he takes up his new position with eyes wide open.

In the 16 seasons since he departed Adelaide Oval, SA’s men have savoured a solitary trophy success – the 2011-12 One Day Cup title – and only six grand final appearances (two unsuccessful Shield bids as well as three losses to go with their 50-over triumph).

By contrast, every other state men’s team has won the Shield at least twice during that period with Tasmania the only other outfit with a sole One-Day Cup crown since 2007-08.

But despite finishing at the foot of the One-Day Cup ladder and second-last in the Shield competition last summer, SA took heart from a number of strong individual performances and a couple of significant off-season signings.

Newly appointed skipper McSweeney enjoyed a break-out Shield season with the bat, posting three centuries and finishing with an aggregate of 762 runs at 40.11 and was chosen to captain Australia A and the Prime Minister’s XI.

Seamer Nathan McAndrew returned a remarkable 48 wickets at 18.58 from his nine Shield outings and, with fellow quicks Brendan Doggett, Wes Agar and Jordan Buckingham, forms a potent pace-bowling force.

In the white-ball arena, explosive opener Jake Fraser-McGurk’s record-breaking century from 29 balls against Tasmania announced him as the nation’s next big ball-striking talent and paved his way for Australia selection later in the summer.

And with the recruitment of talented top-order batters Jason Sangha from New South Wales and Mackenzie Harvey from Victoria to supplement a line-up that seems likely to include Test stars Travis Head and Alex Carey early in the season, Harris will be hopeful of ending SA’s 29-year Shield drought.

“We’ve had some great stuff over the pre-season as a group and we’re collectively driving each other towards that end goal of bringing some silverware back to South Australia,” SA opener Henry Hunt told cricket.com.au last month.

“With the players and the group we’ve got now, I think it’s really achievable.”