
Former skipper Paine appointed Australia ‘A' coach
SYDNEY: Former captain Tim Paine has been appointed coach of the Australia 'A' team for this season with the country approaching a transition to a new generation of players as a handful of test stalwarts near retirement.
Paine has worked in the media along with occasional roles with the Australia women's team and 'A' programme since hanging up his bat in 2023 but will now give up his radio show to concentrate on his new job.
'It's time to spread my wings,' Paine told listeners on SEN radio on Friday.
'I've been working with Australia 'A' as an assistant coach and the opportunity has come up for me to be the head coach. I feel like it's a hard balancing act to pursue a coaching career and talk in the media.
'The Australia 'A' programme is very exciting, there's a lot of young talent to work with. It's something I really enjoy doing. I'm very lucky and I'm really looking forward to the next part of my journey.'
Australia could lose as many as half a dozen test regulars to retirement after this year's Ashes series with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja all in their mid to late 30s.
Australia drop struggling Labuschagne for first West Indies Test
Cricket Australia said Paine would continue to help out with the women's team as well as with his coaching role at the Adelaide Strikers Big Bash League team.
Paine took over as test captain in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering affair in 2018 and led Australia to the retention of the Ashes in England in 2019, only to resign before the 2021-22 series after a sexting scandal.

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Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Former skipper Paine appointed Australia ‘A' coach
SYDNEY: Former captain Tim Paine has been appointed coach of the Australia 'A' team for this season with the country approaching a transition to a new generation of players as a handful of test stalwarts near retirement. Paine has worked in the media along with occasional roles with the Australia women's team and 'A' programme since hanging up his bat in 2023 but will now give up his radio show to concentrate on his new job. 'It's time to spread my wings,' Paine told listeners on SEN radio on Friday. 'I've been working with Australia 'A' as an assistant coach and the opportunity has come up for me to be the head coach. I feel like it's a hard balancing act to pursue a coaching career and talk in the media. 'The Australia 'A' programme is very exciting, there's a lot of young talent to work with. It's something I really enjoy doing. I'm very lucky and I'm really looking forward to the next part of my journey.' Australia could lose as many as half a dozen test regulars to retirement after this year's Ashes series with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja all in their mid to late 30s. Australia drop struggling Labuschagne for first West Indies Test Cricket Australia said Paine would continue to help out with the women's team as well as with his coaching role at the Adelaide Strikers Big Bash League team. Paine took over as test captain in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering affair in 2018 and led Australia to the retention of the Ashes in England in 2019, only to resign before the 2021-22 series after a sexting scandal.


Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
ICC ready to back WTC four-day Tests
The International Cricket Council is ready to sanction four-day Tests in the World Test Championship to help smaller nations to play more games and longer series. In the next WTC cycle, which begins with Sri Lanka hosting Bangladesh in a two-Test series on Tuesday, only five-day Tests are permitted by the ICC which has led to an emphasis on truncated series. Of the 27 Test series to be played among the nine countries contesting the 2025-27 WTC, 17 will feature just two matches, there will be six three-match series and England, Australia and India will all play one five-match Test series against each other. During discussions last week at the WTC final at Lord's, the ICC chair, Jay Shah, is understood to have expressed his support for four-day Tests, with a view to sanctioning them in time for the 2027-29 WTC cycle. England, Australia and India would still be permitted to schedule five-Test series of five-day matches for the Ashes, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the newly named Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the first iteration of which begins with the first Test between England and India at Headingley on Friday. The ICC first sanctioned four-day Tests for bilateral contests in 2017, with England playing Zimbabwe over four days at Trent Bridge last month after four-day Tests against Ireland in 2019 and 2023, although introducing them for the WTC would be a significant change and could lead to longer series. Many smaller nations are reluctant to host Tests due to the time they take out of the schedule and the cost, but a move to four-day cricket would enable an entire three-Test series to be played in less than three weeks. In four-day Tests the playing hours are extended to mandate a minimum of 98 overs per day rather than 90 overs to mitigate the time lost. South Africa's threadbare itinerary despite being crowned world champions in the thrilling final against Australia at Lord's last week has further highlighted the issue, and focused minds on the need for change. Temba Bavuma's squad travel to India for a two-Test series in November but will not play a Test at home until October 2026.


Express Tribune
4 days ago
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Captain Cummins flags Australia shake-up
Captain Pat Cummins during a post-match interview after the World Test Championship final defeat against South Africa. Photo: AFP/File Australia could shake up their batting after crashing to South Africa in the World Test Championship final, with captain Pat Cummins saying a "reset" was needed ahead of three Tests in the West Indies and a home Ashes series. The five-wicket defeat at Lord's on Saturday, after posting a 74-run first-innings lead, has renewed focus on Australia's top order which has struggled since opener David Warner retired 17 months ago. The elevation of out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne as Usman Khawaja's fifth opening partner since Warner bowed out did not work, while the experiment of Cameron Green at three flopped. The 38-year-old Khawaja is also under the microscope, scoring nought and six as his lean spell against pace continued. Green made four in the first innings and lasted only two balls before departing for a duck in the second as the new-look top three managed a total of 49 runs in the match. Australia's batting woes were laid bare, particularly in the second innings, when only a plucky unbeaten fifty from fast-bowler Mitchell Starc and 43 from wicketkeeper Alex Carey gave the Proteas a tough chase. "There's probably quite a few people in the line-up that wish they could have done a little bit more," Cummins told reporters. "The top three was an obvious one in this game." Fresh start With the 2027 WTC cycle kicking off when Australia travel to the West Indies for a three-Test series beginning in Barbados on June 25, the skipper admitted "it does feel like a little bit of a fresh start". "We've got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so we'll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game," he said. "But for me, I think a new WTC cycle in some ways does feel like a bit of a reset. "It's probably more for the selectors and for me to sit down and map it ahead." Compounding Australia's woes, veteran Steve Smith, who hit a majestic first innings' 66, is doubtful for the first West Indies Test after dislocating his finger. If he is ruled out, gung-ho teenager Sam Konstas, who played two Tests against India last summer before being dropped, could slot back in alongside Khawaja. That would allow Labuschagne to drop back to three, should he survive the axe after averaging just 25.63 in Tests during the 2024/25 season. There is also the option of Josh Inglis, who was in the WTC squad, as an opener. Australian media made it clear that change was needed, with The Australian newspaper calling the defeat a "wake-up call" with the five-Test Ashes series against England beginning in November. "Father Time is undefeated and selectors must now be decisive over key calls for the future," it said. Cummins acknowledged all cards were on the table with only five months to go until the first Ashes Test in Perth beginning on November 20. "Coming to this match, you've got guys like Sam Konstas and Scotty Boland and Josh Inglis, all those guys were right on the fringes," he said. "So I think again, after this Test match, everyone gets thrown back into the conversation."