Jurgensen appointed Fiji coach

Shane Jurgensen has been appointed the new coach of Fiji, weeks after he resigned as Bangladesh's head coach. He will be in charge of the country's senior men's, women's and age-group teams for the next three years.

His first assignment will be a tour of India in October, followed by the ICC East-Asia Pacific World Cricket League qualifiers. Fiji is currently in the WCL's Division 7, after finishing fourth in last year's tournament in Botswana.

"I have been appointed the Fiji national coach for the next three years," Jurgensen told ESPNcricinfo. "It will be a busy role with a heavy amount of coaching looking after the senior men's, women's and under 19-squads.

"The job is based in Suva and the first assignment will be to prepare the men's squad for an India tour and the WCL qualification tournament in October and November, from which there is a chance to go into Division 6, and be among the top six teams to qualify to the World T20's qualifying tournament."

According to the Cricket Fiji website, Jurgensen's appointment was approved after the country's sporting regulatory body confirmed funding to develop lesser-known sports.

Jurgensen's appointment is a major triumph for Fiji, given his experience as New Zealand's bowling coach and Bangladesh's head coach. Cricket Fiji's general manager Inoke Lesuma said the appointment was unprecedented.

"It [is] truly remarkable that we have someone of Shane's calibre coming to work with us here in Fiji," said Lesuma. "To gain someone on our team, who has come from a Test-playing nation to a country that is not currently a part of the World Cricket League is just unheard of."

Jurgensen said that going back to the roots of being a coach attracted him to this position and he was looking forward to aiding the country's cricket in its progress.

"The amount of coaching involved is the exciting part in Fiji and it will take me back to the reason why I love coaching: to help develop and support passionate cricketers," Jurgensen said. "In my limited dealings so far I have been extremely impressed with their energy, enthusiasm and professionalism and it highlights Fiji's strong desire to take their cricket to another level. I hope to bring my international experience, coaching methods and plan to help Fijian players and teams and to give them every opportunity for long-term success."