Yorkshire snap up Jaques for repeat challenge

Jaques’s return to the club has been confirmed at Headingley Carnegie this afternoon.

Yorkshire are also expected to announce Paul Farbrace as their new second XI coach.

The former Kent and Sri Lanka coach will join a new-look staff working beneath director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon, which will be spearheaded by former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who is set to be appointed first-team coach.

Moxon said today: “I received good reports from Australia about Jason’s coaching career so far. He has a vast playing experience, played in one of the best teams there has ever been and he’s talking from a position of strength as far as the bowling coaching goes. I’m delighted he’s joining us and he’s got experience of the club.

“I’m sure he’s going to do a fantastic job.”

Gillespie is still in Zimbabwe, seeing out the remainder of his Rhinos contract, but he released a statement about his new role.

He said: “To be able to go back there in a coaching capacity is a fantastic opportunity. When opportunities like being first team coach at Yorkshire come up you don’t turn them down.

“The one thing I’ll be bringing to Yorkshire is a bit of fun and enjoyment, but making sure our preparation is spot on and leaving no stone unturned.”

The remodelled coaching structure will be completed by Ian Dews, who swaps the role of operations manager for that of director of cricket development, and Richard Damms, who is set to be appointed development manager having previously worked with the county’s age-group squads.

Gillespie, Farbrace and Damms effectively replace Craig White, Steve Oldham, Kevin Sharp and John Blain after the five coaches working below Moxon last summer – including Dews – were invited to apply for four new roles.

White ruled himself out as he hopes to become an international umpire, but Oldham, Sharp and Blain were deemed surplus to requirements.

Yorkshire are also expected to announce today contract extensions for captain Andrew Gale, fellow batsman Joe Root and pace bowler Moin Ashraf.

Jaques’s signing will excite supporters, who will remember him from 2004 and 2005. The affable left-hander played 24 first-class games for the county, scoring 2,477 runs at 61.92.

He also played a key role in Yorkshire’s return to the County Championship top flight in 2005 – a task he will be asked to perform again following the club’s relegation last summer.

Jaques, whose highest score for Yorkshire was 243 against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl in 2004, also played 20 one-day fixtures for the club, scoring 788 runs at 43.77.

His versatility, allied to his class and experience, will bring solidity to a top order that last year struggled to post match-winning totals in all forms of cricket.

With South African batsman Jacques Rudolph having been unable to commit himself to a return due to international commitments, Yorkshire have acted quickly to snap up Jaques.

At 32, the opener has much to offer and is not part of Australia’s plans. Jaques, who went on to play 11 Tests and six one-day internationals after leaving Yorkshire six years ago, has not represented Australia since 2008.

He developed a severe back injury which led to three operations and the loss of his Cricket Australia contract in 2009.

Further complications, additional surgery and the emergence of Phillip Hughes meant there were no openings for him even after Matthew Hayden retired.

The son of English parents, Jaques – who plays his state cricket for New South Wales – has had several spells in county cricket.

Prior to joining Yorkshire, he represented Northants in 2003, scoring 1,409 first-class runs at 58.70 – including 222 against Yorkshire at Wantage Road.

He also played for Worcestershire in 2006, 2007 and 2010, scoring 2,154 runs in 26 first-class games at 47.86.

His statistics mark him down as a batsman of the highest quality – one who has proved himself on English green tops as well as hard and fast Australian pitches.

The recruitment of Gillespie – as previously reported in the Yorkshire Post – represents another big coup for the county, while the capture of Farbrace may be considered positive and poignant.

The 44-year-old, who played 40 first-class matches as a wicketkeeper for Kent and Middlesex, was famously caught up in the Lahore terrorist atrocity of 2009, when six Pakistani policemen and two members of the public were killed after gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lanka team coach.

Speaking about the horrific event, Farbrace said: “On the bus to the ground that morning, I recall sitting three seats back on the left, behind our spinner Ajantha Mendis and just in front of our new opening batsman, Tharanga Paranavitana.

“As we approached the Liberty Roundabout on the road from Gulberg, a sound like exploding popcorn rang through the air, immediately followed by Tillakaratne Dilshan yelling ‘Get down, get down.’

“I had no reason to believe we were in the midst of a terrorist attack. I just thought we had encountered some disturbance on the street.

“But as I wrapped myself around the seat in front of me in an instinctive bid for cover, I felt a thud in my right arm, and saw a piece of shrapnel sticking out of it, with blood pouring everywhere.”

Farbrace stepped down from Sri Lanka in August 2009 to become head coach at Kent, where he had previously been head of the Academy and assistant coach.

He left the St Lawrence ground at the end of last summer.

On right track to Headingley

Name: Phil Jaques.

Born: May 3, 1979.

Birthplace: Wollongong, New South Wales.

Role: Left-hand batsman.

Major teams: Australia, New South Wales, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire, Worcestershire.

Test record: Matches 11, Inns 19, NO 0, Runs 902, Ave 47.47, HS 150, 100s 3, 50s 6.

One-day internationals record: Matches 6, Inns 6, NO 0, Runs 125, Ave 20.83, HS 94, 50s 1.

First-class career: Matches 158, Inns 282, NO 11, Runs 13,482, Ave 49.74, HS 244, 100s 38, 50s 62.

List A career: Matches 147, Innings 144, Not outs 10, Runs 5,660, Ave 42.23, HS 171*, 100s 14, 50s 30.

Twenty20 career: Matches 52, Inns 51, NO 6, Runs 1,342, Ave 29.82, HS 92, 50s 8.