Photo Credit: South Australian Cricket Association
Former Australian Test bowling hero Ryan Harris has been appointed Head Coach of South Australia’s Men’s Team, taking over the top job in the State where his storied cricket career began.
Known throughout the cricket world as ‘Ryno’, Harris won the position following a global recruitment search by the South Australian Cricket Association and will begin immediately in his new role.
A fan favourite throughout his 27-Test career from 2010-2015, Harris’s subsequent coaching tenure has taken him from Australia men’s under-19s (including the 2018 and 2020 World Cups) and pathways manager with Queensland Cricket before being appointed SA assistant coach last summer. Additionally, he has been a coach at Cricket Australia’s High Performance coaching program based at the National Cricket Centre and served as the bowling coach of the King’s XI Punjab & the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
He has been working with the men’s squad as Interim Head Coach since taking over from Jason Gillespie earlier this year, and is stepping up preparation for the season-opening One Day Cup match against Western Australia in Sydney on September 24.
“I’m thrilled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of South Australia where I began my first-class playing journey more than 20 years ago,” Harris said today.
“Having worked closely with the team last summer and during our current pre-season training, I know what this squad is capable of and can’t wait to get started and build on the positive steps we saw last year.
“Under new captain Nathan McSweeney, there is a real sense of self-belief among the group and we’ll be working hard to ensure we hit the ground running with the new season rapidly approaching.”
Harris is a product of Adelaide’s northern suburbs and made his Sheffield Shield debut for SA in 2001, donning the Baggy Red Cap 26 times over the ensuing six years claiming 67 wickets (at 37) and scoring 740 runs at 18.
He also played 44 One Day Cup games and made nine T20 appearances for the State before shifting to Queensland where he earned international honours and forged a formidable Australia new-ball partnership with Mitchell Johnson, most notably in the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash.
SACA President Will Rayner congratulated Harris on his appointment.
“We are really excited to welcome Ryan into the Head Coach role. We conducted a thorough search process throughout world cricket. Not only has Ryan excelled in that process, he has done a brilliant job in the interim role over the past few months.
With a new Captain in Nathan McSweeney and a developing young team we are really looking forward to seeing the South Australian Men’s side take great strides forward this coming Summer.”
A media opportunity with Harris will be held in coming weeks.
SA announced a couple of key signings for the men’s squad earlier this year, with Jason Sangha (New South Wales) and Mackenzie Harvey (Victoria) joining strong Premier Cricket performers Conor McInerney and Campbell Thompson in the 26-man group.
SA’s first home game of 2024/25 is a Sheffield Shield clash against Victoria at Adelaide Oval from November 1-4 to be followed by a One Day Cup fixture against the Vics at Karen Rolton Oval on November 6. Harris will take charge of the team for both the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup campaigns. SACA has commenced the search for a Head Coach of the men’s Strikers team.
