Nielsen steps down as Australia coach

"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.

"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 re-appointed 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."

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