Michael Di Venuto has been named the Australian team batting coach.
TASMANIAN cricket completed a national set yesterday with Michael Di Venuto named as the new Australian team batting coach.
Di Venuto's appointment follows fellow Tigers assistant coach Ali de Winter being made the national bowling coach and players Ed Cowan, Jackson Bird and Xavier Doherty's selection for the upcoming Test tour to India.
Tigers' captain George Bailey and teammate James Faulkner also featured in the one-day series against the West Indies, which began yesterday while Faulkner joined Alex Doolan and Ricky Ponting in the Prime Minister's XI match on Tuesday.
Di Venuto, who played nine ODIs for Australia, will stand down from his coaching positions with the Tigers and Hobart Hurricanes to take up his new position in time for the tour.
Di Venuto played 336 first-class matches, 302 one-day domestic matches and 54 T20s representing Australia A, Tasmania, Derbyshire, Durham, Sussex and Italy.
Australian coach Mickey Arthur said Di Venuto was an excellent choice.
``We are delighted to have Michael on board,'' Arthur said.
``We wanted a batting coach who was working within Australian cricket and who had also represented Australia as a player and Michael certainly brings those two aspects to the table, as well as a wealth of experience in first-class cricket.
``We felt it was important that the appointed person had demonstrated coaching experience. This aligns with our coaching pathway plans, which is an Argus review recommendation.
``Michael spent some time around the Test squad while we were in Hobart and again during the Commonwealth Bank Series, and we were impressed with the way he went about his work and we look forward to him joining us on a full-time basis.''
Cricket Tasmania's Andrew Dykes added: ``Michael's national appointment is not only a great individual achievement but is another indication of the success of the structures we have in place to develop coaches and players alike at Cricket Tasmania.
``Michael will now resign as assistant coach of the Tasmanian Tigers and Dan Marsh will fill the role for the remainder of the season.
``Dan will bring great knowledge and experience to the coaching group as the Tigers enter the business end of the season.''