Nielsen quits after Aussies seal series win in Sri Lanka

The move comes after he decided not to apply for a new, expanded head coach role following a difficult time for Australian cricket.

The likes of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist have all retired since Nielsen took the reins four years ago, and the once-dominant side has struggled to rebuild, slipping to fourth place in the Test rankings on the back of an indifferent run of results, including a lost Ashes series at home last winter.

But former state-level wicketkeeper Nielsen still coached Australia to nine winning Test series out of 15, losing five and drawing one.

“Tim has been national coach during a period in which we have had a long list of great champions leave the game and has been a strong support for new players coming into the side over that period,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement.

“I was delighted when he agreed to renew his contract last year and had encouraged him to apply for the new, expanded and redesigned head coach role that the CA board approved last month after the tabling of the Australian Team Performance Review.

“However, I have spoken to Tim and understand and respect his decision to now begin a new chapter in his professional life.”

Nielsen, who has advised Cricket Australia that he is due to take up a new Australian cricket role, took over from John Buchanan in 2007.

Last year he was reappointed until the end of the next Ashes series in England in 2013.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with the Australian cricket team in the role of head coach for the last four and half years,” Nielsen, 43, said in the same statement.

“Throughout that period we have had some great success as well as experiencing some tough times. I have enjoyed every minute of working hard with the playing group, aiming to give ourselves the best possible chance of representing Australia to the very best of our ability.”

Sutherland said Cricket Australia would seek to appoint an interim coach for the forthcoming tour of South Africa.

Yesterday, Nielsen’s side drew with Sri Lanka in the third and final Test in Colombo to win the series 1-0. Michael Clarke hit his 15th Test century and, with Michael Hussey, put together a record fifth-wicket partnership of 176 to inflict a first home defeat in a Test series on Sri Lanka since they lost to Pakistan in 2006.

The visitors, who had trailed Sri Lanka after the first innings by 157 runs, were dismissed for 488 in their second on the final day. Sri Lanka were left needing 332 for victory off 17 overs and had made 7-0 in two overs when the match ended.

“All the boys are pretty stoked. It’s been a fantastic tour,” Clarke said. “Both the one-day series and Test series have certainly gone to plan. We won both series. I am really proud how the boys have played and personally it was nice to finally get to those three-figures.”

Clarke and Hussey came together after Phil Hughes (126) was dismissed in the sixth over of the final day, and the experienced duo recorded Australia’s highest partnership for the fifth wicket against Sri Lanka.

During his 178-ball stay at the wicket, Clarke hit 14 fours and three sixes. He eventually holed out to Tharanga Paranavitana at mid-on.

“Throughout my career there’s been plenty of ups and downs but of late, in Test cricket there’s probably been more downs than ups,” Clarke said. “I had a horrible Ashes series and to be able to help this team win this series by making some runs today is very special.”

Hussey, the leading run-scorer in the series with 463, missed out on a second century in the match when he was dismissed for 93. The left-hander top-edged a sweep of Tillakaratne Dilshan to square leg.

Dilshan said Hussey had made the difference in the series where Australia won the first Test at Galle by 125 runs and drew the second at Pallakele.

“He batted at Galle with the tailenders and got 95 and changed the complexion of the match,” Dilshan said. “He did the same at Pallakele and got a hundred. In the third Test he got another hundred. He is the main guy in their batting line up.”

Rangana Herath chipped away at the Australian batting to end with career best figures of seven for 157. When he trapped Peter Siddle for 26, Herath became only the fourth Sri Lankan bowler to capture 100 Test wickets after Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga.