Aussie coach quits after series win

COLOMBO: Australia national coach Tim Nielsen has decided to step down rather than reapply for his job, he said Tuesday, soon after the team posted a 1-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Nielsen, 43, who held the job for four years, would have had to reapply for the expanded role of head coach, a post which is being created following recommendations made by the seven-month Argus Review of Australian cricket.

He had been due to stay on in the current role for next month's tour of South Africa before a new head coach was appointed, but Australia will now have to look for an interim coach.

Nielsen told reporters in Colombo he was not interested in applying for the revised job position.

Cricket Australia said Nielsen is due to take up a "new Australian cricket role that will be announced soon".

CA chief executive James Sutherland said Nielsen could not be persuaded to apply for the new post, but thanked him for his hard work since taking over from John Buchanan in 2007.

During Nielsen's tenure, Australia lost two Ashes series against England and failed to retain the limited-overs World Cup in April after winning it on the last three occasions.

Australian cricket is undergoing a transitional period following the retirement of greats like Shane Watson, Mathew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist.

The sweeping Argus Review was ordered by the Australian cricket board after the Test team's humiliating 3-1 Ashes series defeat to England this year.

The announcement came after Michael Clarke replaced Ricky Ponting as captain and led Australia to Test and one-day series wins in Sri Lanka on his first full tour at the helm.