Johnston named NSW assistant coach

Trent Johnston, the former Ireland captain, has been named assistant coach of Australian domestic side New South Wales. Johnston, who began his playing career with New South Wales in 1999, will also be a developmental coach during his two-year contract.

He been part of two famous Ireland World Cup campaigns, leading them to the Super Eights in 2007 and was one of the key players in Ireland's rise to the top of Associate cricket. He retired last December, and has since been the coach of their women's team as well as being in charge of domestic side Leinster Lightning.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for myself and my family and one that I simply can't pass up," Johnston said about the chance to coach in Australia. "I didn't go looking for the switch but now that's it's happened, I'm relishing the challenge and looking forward to what I suppose is a homecoming for me, having started my cricket career at NSW what seems like a lifetime ago."

Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland's performance director, hailed Johnston's contribution to Ireland cricket. "We are naturally very sorry to lose Trent so early in his contract with Cricket Ireland, but understand what a great opportunity this new position provides for him," he said. "He has made a lot of progress with our women's team in the last seven months."

Johnston will move to Sydney to assist Blues coach Trevor Bayliss as the side looks to build on a successful 2013-14 season in which they won the Sheffield Shield and finished runner-up in the Ryobi Cup.