Sydney - New South Wales state coach Trevor Bayliss will take charge of the Australia team in its Twenty20 cricket series against South Africa in November to allow head coach Darren Lehmann a week's break at the start of a hectic season.
The matches, which open Australia's home season, will be played only days after Lehmann and Australia return from a series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
Cricket Australia said Bayliss “has won the (Big Bash league) and Champions League Twenty20 with the (Sydney) Sixers and an IPL title with Kolkata so we know that while Darren is away the team will be in good hands.”
Lehmann said from the start of its tour to Zimbabwe in August, Australia has no major breaks before the end of the 2015-2016
season.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia said Monday it will be sending a full-strength team to Zimbabwe for a one-day tri-series with the hosts and South Africa.
Lehmann has given opening batsman David Warner his blessing to miss the tour as he prepares to become a father for the first time. But Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Australia had no intention of resting other frontline players.
Sutherland said the Zimbabwe tour was an important part of Australia's preparation for the series against Pakistan.
“We see it as being a really important lead-in to the big series against Pakistan,” Sutherland said. “We're concerned about the challenge of playing Pakistan in the UAE.”
Sapa-AP