Oliver to coach Bulls

Queensland assistant coach Terry Oliver was today named to take on the XXXX Bulls coaching job in place of Bennett King.

Oliver, 39, has been the Bulls assistant coach for the past two seasons and will assume the head-coaching role following King's elevation to the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy after guiding the Bulls to three Pura Cup trophies in a row.

Queensland Cricket Chairman Damien Mullins announced the appointment of Oliver today to a one-year deal with a one-year option at a media conference at Queensland Cricket Headquarters.

The announcement came after the Queensland Cricket Board met last night to finalise the appointment following a recommendation from a board sub-committee comprising Mullins, Allan Border and Gary Madsen.

Oliver, a Level III coach, has progressed through the Queensland Cricket coaching ranks since joining the organization eight years ago.

He coached Australian Country in 2000 after being the Queensland Country coach for the past three seasons, winning back-to-back national titles in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and finishing as runners-up in 1997-98.

Originally from Mackay, he played for Australian Country in 1990-91 against Sri Lanka and 1993-94 against the West Indies and represented Queensland Country for five years, scoring more than 800 runs.

He played first grade cricket with the Gold Coast in 1991-92.

Oliver has been a Regional Cricket Manager with Queensland Cricket and was also the State Co-ordinator for Special Programs. He coached the Australia Post Queensland Under-17 team this season.

He has coached in Sri Lanka where he worked with the national team and joined Bennett King on an exchange to the West Indies last year where he lectured at the West Indies Cricket Academy as part of its inaugural intake of scholars.

Oliver said he was "over the moon" at his appointment.

"Obviously I'm delighted to have the opportunity to coach the Bulls," he said. "I'm grateful that I have had the chance to work with Bennett and the team for the past two seasons and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead."

Oliver said one of his first priorities was to meet with the Queensland selectors to discuss who would take over from Stuart Law as captain and the make-up of the contracted player list for 2002-2003.

"As a group we have undergone some rapid changes of late but the system and the processes that have been built up by John Buchanan and Bennett here will stand us in good stead to prepare for the season ahead."

"The Bulls' ethos that has grown up here within the team means we are pretty well equipped to cope with the challenges we face in the future," he said.

Oliver said one of his primary goals for his coaching term followed similar lines to that emphasised by Buchanan and King during the past eight years.

"I want to continue to develop Queensland players into Australian players, and at the same time produce more first class players for Queensland."

"I would like us to train hard and play positive cricket. As a coach I want to be in a position to provide individual players with the assistance and guidance to make them better cricketers," he said.

Oliver will commence duties immediately, with off-season squad training and specialised coaching programs for individual Bulls players scheduled to begin from next month.