Warwicks v Yorkshire: Family comes first for White Rose coach Jason Gillespie

RAIN has prevented play before lunch on day two of Yorkshire's County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.
Yorkshire coach Jason GillespieYorkshire coach Jason Gillespie
Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie

Blustery showers - frequent in nature but light in volume - have swept across the Birmingham ground, which has also experienced spells of sunshine.

Yorkshire’s total stands at 177-4 after an opening day in which rain and bad light claimed 38 overs.

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Gary Ballance and Jack Leaning both have 50, their stand worth 92 in 29 overs.

Yorkshire's Gary BallanceYorkshire's Gary Ballance
Yorkshire's Gary Ballance

Showers are forecast until around 3pm, with the prospect of brighter weather to follow.

First-team coach Jason Gillespie, meanwhile, insists he is fully focused on Yorkshire after being linked with a return to Australia to take up a role with the national side.

The former Australia paceman’s stock as a coach has risen during his four years at Headingley, during which he has led the White Rose to back-to-back County Championship titles after overseeing their return to Division One in his debut season in charge.

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He was on the shortlist to replace Peter Moores as England head coach last year, eventually missing out to compatriot Trevor Bayliss, but has been linked with Australia’s vacant bowling coach position under Darren Lehmann’s stewardship.

Yorkshire's Gary BallanceYorkshire's Gary Ballance
Yorkshire's Gary Ballance

Ex-Yorkshire batsman Lehmann told FIVEaa radio last week that Gillespie would “certainly be at forefront with other bowling coaches” when they look to make an appointment, likely to be at the start of their domestic season this autumn.

However, Gillespie has poured cold water on the speculation and is concentrating on helping Yorkshire secure a hat-trick of Championship titles this summer.

“I haven’t had any contact, so there’s nothing to report to be honest,” said Gillespie, who took 402 wickets in all formats for Australia.

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“If anything changes, I’ll let you know. At this point, it’s just focusing on my role here.

“There is still a lot to do at Yorkshire and I solely want to concentrate on helping this team win cricket matches.

“You don’t rule out opportunities in the future. It’s whether you feel like you can make a difference in any job that comes available. It’s well documented that I’ve got four kids under the age of 10. My eldest daughter, she’s 21, has just had a little girl. So family is important, and it should be an important consideration. Any job that comes up, certainly, I’ve always said family comes first.

“If any opportunities come up in the future, that would be certainly be a consideration.”