Jason Gillespie: Sussex appoint former Australia bowler as head coach

Jason Gillespie lost just seven County Championship games in five years as Yorkshire coach

Sussex have appointed former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie as their new head coach.

The 42-year-old, who coached Yorkshire to the County Championship title in 2014 and 2015, has agreed an initial three-year deal at Hove.

Gillespie spent time on the coaching staff at Kent last season and will take up his role in early 2018.

"Jason is exactly the experienced head coach we had hoped we would attract," said Sussex chief executive Rob Andrew.

"He has enormous experience of the English county game after his very successful spell with Yorkshire.

"We believe we have a very talented young squad and we need a bit of stability and a coach of Jason's experience to help mould a successful team."

Gillespie's Championship pedigree

Gillespie replaces Mark Davis, who left the Division Two club by mutual consent on 25 October following two seasons in charge.

Davis led the county to two fourth-placed finishes in the second tier, while the side failed to qualify from the group stages of both the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup in 2016 and 2017.

Right-armer Gillespie took 259 wickets at an average of 26.13 in 71 Tests for Australia between 1996 and 2006, and joined Yorkshire as first-team coach ahead of the 2012 season.

Yorkshire lost only seven Championship matches during his five seasons at Headingley, leading them from the second tier to consecutive titles before departing at the end of the 2016 campaign.

In May 2015, Gillespie held talks with England's director of cricket Andrew Strauss about replacing the sacked Peter Moores as national coach, but the role eventually went to fellow Australian Trevor Bayliss.

Gillespie has also coached the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, Australia's domestic Twenty20 competition, for the past two seasons.

"I know that there is some excitement around the capabilities of the current playing group," he said.

"I look forward to getting over there and playing my role in helping Sussex achieve its on and off-field goals for 2018 and beyond."

Analysis

BBC Sussex commentator Adrian Harms

Sussex chief executive Rob Andrew has largely kept a watching brief at Hove since his appointment nearly a year ago.

However, he showed his teeth by sacking Mark Davis, and now looks to have pulled off a major coup in landing Jason Gillespie.

Sussex have in the past largely promoted from within, but this appointment breaks with that tradition and will be welcomed by supporters who have become increasingly disillusioned over the last couple of seasons.

Andrew has consistently said that promising Sussex youngsters, including Jofra Archer and George Garton, will form the backbone of a new era.

Gillespie could be the catalyst to lead that development and guide Sussex back towards former glories.