By IANS,
Melbourne : Former Delhi Daredevils’ assistant coach David Saker is in the running to be England’s next bowling coach.
The 43-year-old, who as bowling coach has led Victoria to the past two Sheffield Shield titles, is the only Australian among the four candidates shortlisted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to replace Ottis Gibson, who quit to become head coach of the West Indies.
Saker is due to fly to England this weekend with an interview with the ECB scheduled for early next week, The Age reports.
Saker late last year was at the helm of the Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League Twenty20, after regular coach Greg Shipperd stayed with Victoria.
He resigned this year as the Daredevils’ assistant coach shortly before the start of the current Indian Premier League season due to security concerns.
Australia’s losing 2005 tour to England was partly blamed on the ability of English pacemen to use reverse-swing, which had been taught to them by the team’s then fast-bowling coach Troy Cooley.
Cooley, an Australian, was poached within a year to take over as Australia’s bowling coach, a role he still holds today.
Applications for the England bowling coach job closed late last month, with the ECB declaring it hoped to appoint Gibson’s successor in early April.