Griff keen to stick around

TIGERS coach Adam Griffith is not going anywhere despite handing over the reins for the Sheffield Shield campaign to assistant Jeff Vaughan.

The restructure, so soon after Griffith returned from a six-week stint as Australian bowling coach under former mentor Justin Langer during the one-day World Cup in England, led to speculation the former Tasmanian quick would be opening a window to head back to the national setup. But Griffith said this was not the case.

“That didn’t come into the decision at all,” Griffith told the Mercury.

“This actually is more exciting for me to keep me here in Tasmanian cricket.

“I’m passionate about it and been thinking about it for a little while now. I’m still leading the program, it just gives Jeff an opportunity.”

The move is to allow Griffith to spend a greater amount of time overseeing Cricket Tasmania’s Male Program as a whole, including its elite player pathway.

But Griffith will remain head of the men’s program, as well as coach of the Tigers oneday and Hobart Hurricanes coach with Vaughan the senior assistant coach and Ben Rohrer as an assistant coach.

But the move will also allow Griffith to spend more time with the talent pathway in Hobart and around Tasmania.

Vaughan said he was thrilled at the chance to lead the four-day team.

“It is a wonderful opportunity and I was very excited,” Vaughan said.

“It has certainly been part of my objectives as a coach to one day fulfil a head coach role for when the right opportunity arose.”