Judd leaves Saltires for home post

Published on 14/10/2012 03:14

TONY Judd last night resigned as Saltires assistant coach to take up a top job in his native Australia.

The 48-year-old, who has enjoyed a decade of success in his adopted country, will become head cricket coach at the Northern Institute of Sport in Darwin.

Judd, who pulled out of a move to Melbourne in 2007 for personal reasons, said: “It is a fantastic opportunity but one which I am only accepting because my whole family are able to join me in Australia. That was the clinching factor.

“I obviously have mixed feelings about leaving Scotland because I have many brilliant memories both with Greenock and the Saltires.”

Judd, pictured below, who arrived in Scotland from Tasmania a decade ago, enjoyed unprecedented success first as coach of Greenock and then in charge of the national side.

He led the Scots to their first-ever international title when they won the ICC Intercontinental Cup in 2004.

However, his crowning achievement came a year earlier when the Saltires entered the Totesport League and beat three counties in the space of 20 days.

Judd turned down the opportunity to become full-time national coach in 2005, opting to honour his contract with Greenock.

The Scotland job went instead to Andy Moles and later Peter Drinnen before Judd was brought back into the fold as No.2 and video analyst by current coach Pete Steindl in 2009.

Meanwhile, current Northants wicketkeeper David Murphy is lined up to make his Scotland debut against North West Dragons today. Murphy, one of four English-born players selected for the current tour to South Africa, missed the first week due to prior commitments but arrived in Potchfestroom on Friday.