Cox to continue as national selector

Jamie Cox, the former Tasmania captain, will continue as a national selector despite his appointment as South Australia's high performance manager. Cox was confirmed as Rod Marsh's successor by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) on Saturday.

Currently a group sport manager at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, Cox will move to Adelaide at the end of September. "I will be [staying on as a selector] at this stage", Cox told the Daily Telegraph. "They look to be complementary roles that both require watching a lot of cricket and I may as well be doing that based in Adelaide as based in Canberra."

However, questions might be asked about Cox's continuation as selector since Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of the panel, is also involved with South Australia as a board member. The shuffling of selectors Hilditch, Cox, David Boon and Merv Hughes to watch as many domestic games as possible may be hampered, so will the rotation for overseas tours.

"Quite possibly [there will be obstacles to keeping both jobs], there will be some times when I need to be back here at the Adelaide Oval and we'll need to manage that over the season, plus the issue of having two selectors based in Adelaide,'' Cox said. The likes of Marsh, Greg Chappell, Wayne Phillips, Andrew Sincock and Jamie Siddons haven't had the best of times while on coaching assignments with South Australia, but Cox is nonetheless confident.

"Yes it is [a big job], but I don't know ... I think South Australia have made some positive moves. The squad they've set-up for this season looks quite strong,'' Cox said. South Australia last won a first-class competition in 1995-96, and they haven't made it to a final since then, nor won any limited-overs titles.

"I know a lot of people are expecting there to be pain, and but I don't know if there has to be - there's no reason why they shouldn't be aiming to be successful side and winning trophies over the next few years.''

To "plug the gap" between age-level teams to grade and then state and national levels is a goal Cox highlighted. South Australia's under-17 and under-19 teams have performed consistently well even as their senior side has faltered. "I will be having a look at everything,'' Cox said. "This role goes right down to the grass roots, all the steps along the pathway to the state side and then the national side and if there are gaps in that pathway I want to work to plug them.''