Nielsen heads the Academy

Tim Nielsen, the former South Australia wicketkeeper, will replace Bennett King as the head coach of the Cricket Academy in Brisbane. After working with the Australian team as an assistant and performance analyst since 2002, Nielsen has accepted the job and was excited by the prospect of leading the Australian Institute of Sport men's program.

"This is a tremendous opportunity and I am thrilled and excited at the challenge that lies ahead," Nielsen said. "I have gained immeasurable experience working closely with the Australian side over the past few years and I am really looking forward to making a positive contribution to the players coming through the ranks of Australian cricket."

James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said Nielsen was chosen to fill the "particularly important" role following a rigorous selection process. "Through his experience as a player, assistant coach at state and national level, and his technical knowledge, Tim is well-equipped to head-up the men's program," he said. "This appointment is a key step forward for Tim in his coaching career, and his credentials will be especially valuable as we seek to keep our elite players and programs at the cutting edge of world cricket."

Neilsen joins a list including Rod Marsh and King, who left in October to guide West Indies, as the head of the Academy and will oversee the work of the senior coaches, John Harmer and Damien Fleming, and Stephen Jenkin, the AIS's women's head coach. Nielsen played 101 first-class games as a wicketkeeper-batsman and his 316 dismissals were a South Australia record.