Australia coach Nielsen steps down

Australiacoach Tim Nielsen stepped down on Tuesday after his side clinched a test series victory over Sri Lanka, Cricket Australia said.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen steps down

“Tim has been national coach during a period in which we have had a long list of great champions leave the game and has been a strong support for new players coming into the side over that period,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement on the Cricket Australia website (www.cricket.com.au).

“I was delighted when he agreed to renew his contract last year and had encouraged him to apply for the new, expanded and redesigned Head Coach role that the CA Board approved last month after the tabling of the Australian Team Performance Review.

“However, I have spoken to Tim and understand and respect his decision to now begin a new chapter in his professional life.”

Nielsen, who has advised CA he is due to take up a new Australian cricket role, took over from John Buchanan in 2007. Last year he was reappointed until the end of the next Ashes series in England in 2013.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to work with the Australian cricket team in the role of Head Coach for the last four and half years,” Nielsen, 43, said in the same statement.

“Throughout that period we have had some great success as well as experiencing some tough times. I have enjoyed every minute of working hard with the playing group, aiming to give ourselves the best possible chance of representing Australia to the very best of our ability.”

Australia drew with Sri Lanka in the third and final test in Colombo on Tuesday to win the series 1-0.

Former state-level wicketkeeper Nielsen coached Australia in 15 test series, winning nine, losing five and drawing one.

Sutherland said CA would seek to appoint an interim, acting coach for the upcoming October-November tour ofSouth Africa while recruiting a new head coach.

Sehwag Powers India to Highest total

Virender Sehwag blazed to a career-best 146 to steer India to their highest one-day total of 414 for seven in the opening game against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag acknowledges the crowd after scoring a century during the first one-day international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka, in Rajkot, India, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009.

The opener hit his 12th one-day hundred off 66 deliveries and smashed 17 fours and six sixes to leave Sri Lanka gasping after skipper Kumar Sangakkara put India into bat hoping to exploit early life on the pitch.

Sehwag, 31, looked good to surpass the one-day record score of 194 until he edged a full toss from paceman Chanaka Welegedara to be caught at point in the 36th over.

He dominated a 153-run first wicket partnership with Sachin Tendulkar (69) and added 156 for the second with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to demoralise the bowling attack.

Dhoni hit 72 with seven fours and three sixes after promoting himself to number three but was caught in the next over after Sehwag’s dismissal to give the visitors some respite.

The total bettered India’s record of 413-5 set against Bermuda at Port of Spain in the 2007 World Cup. It is also the highest notched against Sri Lanka, surpassing the 373 India made in the 1999 World Cup. At 311 for three in the 37th over, India looked set to surpass Sri Lanka’s ODI record of 443, but were checked by some tighter bowling.

Sehwag, whose previous highest one-day score was 130, raced to 50 off just 34 deliveries before easing off slightly as Tendulkar took over with a flurry of shots.

The record-breaking batsman notched his 92nd one-day fifty until he missed the line to be bowled by Fernando. Pace bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedara and Dilhara Fernando took two wickets each.

Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh missed out due to finger injuries.