Andrew McDonald has been appointed head coach of the Australian men’s cricket team on a four-year deal.
McDonald, 40, had been in the job in an interim capacity following the departure of Justin Langer in February.
McDonald joined Australia’s coaching team in 2019 after leading Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades to all three domestic competition titles during the 2018/19 season.
CA said McDonald “brings a wealth of coaching experience to the position having also held head coaching roles in the Indian Premier League and in English county cricket”.
Langer’s shock departure in early February sparked harsh criticism from a host of former cricketers, including the late Shane Warne.
The outrage prompted captain Pat Cummins to say the side needed a “calmer” and “more collaborative” approach with the next head coach.
McDonald’s appointment comes after last week’s historic tour of Pakistan, where he coached the Test side to a series victory, lost the one-day series 2-1 and won the only T20 International.
“The journey so far has been particularly pleasing, and I am honoured to be given this incredible opportunity for what is an exciting period ahead,” McDonald said.
“The success of the World Cup, the Ashes Series and now Pakistan has been testament to the hard work and leadership of Justin, Pat and Aaron along with the players and the support staff.
“My plan is to build on the growth, depth and experience of the squad while working collectively with the group and across the game. There are many challenges in the short-term which I know excites the leadership group, the players and the staff. I’d also like to thank my family for their support.”
CA chief executive Nick Hockley said: “We interviewed several excellent candidates for this role, which is one of the most important in Australian sport.
“Andrew has already shown he is an outstanding head coach and the vision he outlined for the role during the appointment process was both impressive and exciting, making him our clear choice.
“We are proud of the way the team played and the respect shown throughout the tour of Pakistan under the leadership of Andrew, Pat and Aaron and really pleased Andrew is taking on the role permanently.”
Executive general manager Ben Oliver said McDonald had done an “outstanding job” as interim head coach and has had a “positive impact on the squad”.
“I am looking forward to supporting Andrew and the team as we plan for an exciting period, which includes tours to Sri Lanka and India, a T20 World Cup and the home summer before an away Ashes series,” Oliver added.
“Andrew has been appointed as head coach in all formats, although some white ball series may be led by an assistant given the significant workload ahead and the opportunity to continue to develop our coaches and players.”
McDonald already has batting coach Michael Di Venuto, fielding coach Jeff Vaughan and spin bowling consultant Sri Sriram on his staff but will be looking for a full- time bowling coach, having occupied the role before stepping up as caretaker.
He will also sit on the three-man selection panel for all formats along with chairman George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide.
Meanwhile, Australian cricket took its first step in the digital collectibles market after signing a multi-year licensing deal to issue NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
NFTs are digital assets, often linked to an image, video or sound clip, whose ownership is authenticated by blockchain technology.
Leagues like the NBA and Germany’s Bundesliga have already tapped into the sector to generate new revenue streams from fans and investors.
Cricket Australia’s deal, in partnership with Rario and digital trading company BlockTrust, will allow fans to buy NFTs involving Australian players.
“This is just the start and I have no doubt we will see enormous benefit for fans, players and the sport itself as we build this exciting partnership,” CA boss Hockley said.
Revenue will be shared between CA and former and current players, though the specifics of the deal have not been made public.
– Wih thenationalnews.com input
