Wednesday 27 May 2015 11:24, UK
Former Australia Test player Marcus North thinks his compatriot Trevor Bayliss will be an “outstanding addition” to English cricket.
And North says the Australian Test side who are touring this summer will be more wary of the threat posed by England now Bayliss has been named head coach.
The 52-year-old Bayliss has been named the first Aussie to coach the England team, the culmination of a recruitment process led by new director of England cricket Andrew Strauss.
He will begin work next month and is to be thrown in at the deep end because a five-Test series against his home country starts on July 8, with England looking for revenge after they were thrashed 5-0 by the Aussies in 2013/14.
And the 35-year-old North, who has 21 Test caps to his name, says the Australia team have plenty of respect for the man who will be coaching against them.
“I am sure there might be the odd little sledge here or there, walking past the dressing room!” he told Sky Sports News HQ
“But I know for a fact that the Australian cricket team will be a lot more cautious, now that the England side has got Trevor Bayliss as coach.
“He is so well-respected in Australia and around the world for what he has achieved. I think the England team will only be a harder, more disciplined side, come the Ashes in a months’ time.”
North worked with Bayliss when he played for Sydney Sixers and was extremely impressed by the coach.
“I think we have heard a lot of people describe him as a calming influence and that is spot-on,” he said. “He is a guy who keeps things quite uncomplicated.
But I know for a fact that the Australian cricket team will be a lot more cautious, now that the England side has got Trevor Bayliss as coach.
“We all know that the game of cricket can be overcomplicated quite easily and he certainly does not do that. He is a great man-manager, he relates very well with all different characters.
“He is a great influence in the dressing room and encourages people to improve and learn quickly.
“I experienced that for just one Big Bash campaign but a lot of my good friends in the game have played under him at New South Wales for a long period of time and could not speak more highly of the guy as a character and a coach, and a friend.
“I think he is an all-round package and is going to be an outstanding addition to English cricket.”
Bayliss did not play international cricket during his own playing career but North says the coach has no problem dealing with the game’s world class performers.
“He had the experience of dealing with international players in Sri Lanka and when winning IPLs in India,” said North.
“So he has had the challenge of managing and coaching, not just international players, but players who don’t have their first language as English as well, so that brings other complications.
“I guess that enhances even more his qualities in terms of communicating with and managing all types of players.
Trevor Bayliss would be very clear. Each player would be responsible for their own game, they will understand exactly what roles are suited to their strengths, and he will build a team around that.
“He has also been with New South Wales on a number of stints and has been very successful with them, working with current and future Australian international players, so he certainly knows what it is like to deal with elite players.”
England’s one-day side recently produced a string of calamitous displays at the World Cup, failing to even reach the last eight.
But North thinks their form in the shorter formats of the game will improve under Bayliss, who has been very successful in T20 and one-day international cricket.
“We have seen an England side that looks like they are playing with a very big weight on their shoulders,” said North.
“They have not necessarily had an environment which enables players to play freely and to develop and express themselves.
“I think a great example of that was the England side in the World Cup, who looked confused at times in their game plan and on people’s positions and roles within the team.
“Trevor Bayliss would be very clear. Each player would be responsible for their own game, they will understand exactly what roles are suited to their strengths, and he will build a team around that.
“More importantly, he won’t think for players. He will make sure players start thinking on their own feet, learning about their games, learning how to play consistent international cricket, and he will give those guys an environment which will allow them freedom to express themselves.”
Current interim coach Paul Farbrace has just guided England to an enthralling win against New Zealand and he will stay on to assist the new man, who he has worked with successfully before.
North added: “What is encouraging is that, looking at how England played against New Zealand under Farbrace, who worked with Bayliss a lot in Sri Lanka, I think we saw a very different cricket side, which showed some of the qualities Trevor Bayliss will bring in as head coach.”
