Aussies go for Pom as coach

Australia appointed an English coach yesterday - but it was not Bob Woolmer or even David Lloyd. It was a 38-year-old EastEnder born in Forest Gate called Tim Nielsen.

Tim who? moved to Alice Springs with his English parents at an early age and has, quietly, built himself a formidable reputation as a coach here after retiring as a wicketkeeper-batsman with South Australia eight years ago when he realised he was never quite going to make it into Test cricket.

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Now he will succeed John Buchanan as head coach of the best team in the world after the World Cup. This represents a policy change for Australia, switching from the "man-manager" Buchanan, who has never been short of a theory or three, to a highly technical batting coach.

Nielsen acted as Buchanan's assistant for three years culminating in the 2005 Ashes series and since then has been in charge at the Australian School of Excellence.

He has earned the respect of Australia's leading batsmen, though former captain Allan Border, who was on the three-man selection committee, is said to have preferrred Tom Moody, the West Australian who asked to be excluded from the running last week.

Nielsen will act as Buchanan's assistant again during the World Cup next month in the Caribbean and then has a contract as the head coach until after the Ashes in England in 2009. It is England's challenge to ensure he ends that contracted period without the Ashes.