Nielsen tipped to succeed Buchanan

Tim Nielsen, currently head coach at Australian cricket centre of excellence in Queensland, is expected to succeed John Buchanan as Australia's coach after the 2007 World Cup. Nielsen was appointed assistant coach and performance analyst in 2002, but left the post a few months before the Ashes debacle in England last summer.

The position has not been advertised, though Buchanan announced last February that he was unlikely to carry on past the World Cup in the Caribbean next year. Michael Brown, operations manager with Cricket Australia, said that no decision would be taken until Australia's defence of the world title was complete, but insider sources have told Melbourne's Age that Nielsen is the favourite to take over.

Neilsen, 38, was South Australia's wicketkeeper for years, and on his retirement in 1999, he was appointed as assistant to Greg Chappell. He was subsequently promoted to the national set-up, as assistant coach and performance analyst to Buchanan, and played a vital role in several Australian successes, including the historic 2-1 series win in India in 2004-05.