Bowling coach de Winter earns audition on England tour

Allister de Winter, the former Tasmania fast bowler, will have the perfect chance to audition for the job as Australia's bowling coach after winning the role for the upcoming one-day tour of England.

The departure of Craig McDermott last month left Australia's developing attack without a mentor for the winter trip, which includes five ODIs against England and one against Ireland. Potential candidates to replace McDermott will be interviewed after the team returns home, giving de Winter a head start over his rivals.

And while some former Australia Test players such as Andy Bichel and Damien Fleming have already ruled themselves out, at least one big international name, Waqar Younis, has indicated his interest in the position. But de Winter is expected to be a front-runner after narrowly missing out on the job when McDermott was appointed last year.

Whoever is handed the task will need to continue the development of Australia's exciting young fast bowlers, including Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc, while also keeping older men such as Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris on the right track.

De Winter, the Tasmania assistant coach, has already proven himself by rebuilding the bowling action of Hilfenhaus and helping him return to international cricket last year. De Winter played a key role in encouraging Hilfenhaus to try new angles from the crease and pitch the ball fuller, and as a result Hilfenhaus collected 37 wickets at 18.18 during the series against India and West Indies.

In addition to his role with Tasmania, de Winter, 44, is the head coach of the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, and he has toured with Australia in the past. He was part of the off-field team during the 2009 tour of South Africa as part of a Cricket Australia coaching development programme.

Australia's limited-overs squad departs for England on Thursday.