Australian coach returns to Test cricket with England for Ashes

Australian David Saker, one of the great fast-bowling coaches in cricket, is returning to the Test arena by joining the England for this year's Ashes series.

This will be Saker's second tenure as a coach in the English team, having previously helped the side to Ashes glory in 2010/11.

He'll be another Australian listed in the ranks of those working for their great rival, joining Michael Hussey, who helped England to their T20 World Cup victory last year.

Saker did, however, ply his trade with the Australian national team from 2016 to 2019 but ultimately resigned when questions arose over his potential role in the ball-tampering scandal perpetrated by Australia in South Africa in 2018.

The 56-year-old is also on staff at the Melbourne Renegades but is now readying his return to red-ball cricket at the behest of English captain Ben Stokes.

Speaking to the media while working with the England T20 side in Bangladesh, Saker spoke about his new job.

“I don't think I'll do much Test cricket, but I'm doing the Ashes,” Saker said.

“Ben (Stokes) said, ‘I'd like to get you involved in the Ashes'. Rob Key (managing director) had already floated it a little bit, but being so busy I wasn't sure if I really wanted to do it. Once Stokesy pushed it, it made it an easy decision.

“I said yes straight away because of the magnitude of the occasion. I've been involved in Ashes with both parties and the cricket is as exciting as it gets. It's the biggest Test event.”

Remarkably, Saker will already be well acquainted with two of England's primary fast-bowling weapons in James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as both worked with him during his first tenure with the side and are still representing their nation in 2023.

“Working with England the first time was so much fun,” Sakar continued.

“I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to do the Ashes with this group because they are the best team in the world to watch at the moment.

“The evolution of Jimmy and Broady, they‘re so confident in what they can do and they just go out and do it. That's what you want from your bowling group. My job is to make sure the bowlers are doing that.

“It‘s also creating an atmosphere in the dressing room that's enjoyable. There's no doubt that people are enjoying turning up to that Test team. It sounds like it's a small thing, but the dressing-room atmosphere is a huge thing in international cricket.”

The Ashes are in England this time and are set to begin on June 16^th at 8 PM Australian time.