Donald to mentor Australia bowlers

Allan Donald is set to be appointed Australia's bowling coach for their tour of Sri Lanka which begins in July this year. It is believed that Donald's yet-to-be-announced deal with Cricket Australia is open-ended, meaning he may very well be able to earn a more permanent role in Australia's set-up.

Donald will have a powerful motivation to make the most of his imminent appointment, winning a chance to prove wrong the South African set-up that denied him a contract extension. If he is retained beyond the Sri Lanka tour, he could find himself helping the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle to topple South Africa when they visit Australia for a Test series in November.

The parting of ways between Donald and South Africa in 2015 had been described as mutual, but ESPNcricinfo understands that the team's former spearhead had actually wanted to continue in the role he held from 2011. Currently working with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, Donald recently withdrew from the running for a franchise role with Knights, a South Africa domestic franchise.

While Australia coach Darren Lehmann has stated that his former team-mate Jason Gillespie is under consideration for the role in the longer term, Donald has the opportunity to show his wares on a tour in which the team will aim not only to defeat Sri Lanka but also to start thinking about the intimidating task of facing up to India on the subcontinent in early 2017.

Donald, who had an outstanding Test record in India - 17 wickets at 16.11 in four matches - could perhaps be well suited to such a challenge. He also picked up 12 wickets at 19.33 in his three Tests in Sri Lanka. South Africa's success in that part of the world during Donald's playing days was based on harnessing a strong, disciplined pace attack with some assistance from spin.

At the time of his departure from South Africa following the 2015 World Cup, Donald spoke glowingly of the bowlers he had worked with. "I always wanted to give myself the chance of working up until the World Cup," Donald had said. "I really felt now was a good time to get out and get on with it and that's that. It's been four awesome years and I will miss the guys big time."

The appointment will make Donald the first South African to join Australia's coaching staff since the dismissal of Mickey Arthur at the outset of the 2013 Ashes tour of England. His replacement Lehmann emphasised a decidedly "Australian" brand of cricket, but there is now acknowledgement at CA that a different tactical and mental approach may be required to succeed in Asia.

Donald has been in contention to be Australia's bowling coach before, when in 2011 he was interviewed for the role that ultimately went to Craig McDermott. An advantage McDermott had at the time was the chance to try out for the job on a brief ODI tour of Bangladesh following that year's World Cup. Donald now has a similar opportunity.