Cricket Australia today advised that Craig McDermott, the Assistant Coach – Bowling to the Australian men’s cricket team is to step down from the role.
Speaking about his decision, Craig McDermott said: “It has been a very difficult decision to leave my position as the bowling coach of the Australian cricket team, a job I have thoroughly enjoyed since beginning 12 months ago.
“However the team’s schedule is a particularly busy one and after looking at the upcoming touring demands, I felt this to be the right decision from a personal and professional point of view.
“It has been a great honour to work with our most exciting bowlers over this period and we have achieved much success. The progression of particular players and the improvement of depth in Australian bowling stocks has been the result of much hard work from both sides and is something I am particularly proud of.
“While I have agreed to provide input through Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence, I am looking to continue my coaching career in a context that allows me further flexibility and will be looking to explore a range of options. I am certainly not ruling out being involved with the Australian cricket team in the future should that fit within the team’s requirements.
“For now though, I want to thank Michael Clarke and Mickey Arthur for the opportunity and wish them and the team every success over a really exciting next 12 months of cricket.”
Head Coach Mickey Arthur paid tribute to McDermott’s contribution: “Craig has done outstanding job since taking over the role and without doubt will be very difficult to replace. As the Australian public and cricket world has seen, Craig has taken our fast bowlers to another level and his skills and experience will be sorely missed around the group.
“However we completely understand and respect Craig’s decision. The international schedule is a particularly busy one and family must always come first. We wish Craig the best and really hope he can be involved with the team at some point in the future,” Mickey Arthur said.
