By Peter Argent
During the pre-season, Cricket Tasmania announced Broken Hill cricket export Jeff Vaughan has signed a long-term contract, which will see him return to the role of head coach of the Tasmanian Tigers men’s program.
He is in control of the state program for the four-day Sheffield Shield program and the one-day 50-over Marsh Cup.
Following a first up loss to Queensland to start the 2022-23 campaign, Vaughan and the Tigers returned to the winner’s list against the SA Redbacks in their second encounter, gaining victory by a significant seven-wicket margin in an entertaining fixture on Adelaide Oval, where a second innings century opening partnership by Caleb Jewell and Tim Ward late on day three and on day four set-up the win.
After his initial tenure in the ‘Apple Isle” as a senior assistant coach, Vaughan was promoted to the head coach of the male Tigers program at the start of the 2019-2020 season, after Cricket Tasmania elected to split the duties of the Hurricanes and Tigers coaching staff on the men’s side of the program.
In 2020, Vaughan successfully applied for a job in the national team, appointed to the role of an assistant coach in the successful Australian men’s program.
In that time, he has been a part of the team to win Australia’s first ever men’s ICC T20 World Cup, taken part in a successful home Ashes campaign, and also been a part of Australia’s recent historic tour to Pakistan.
“I feel very fortunate with how everything has worked out” Vaughan said.
“I have been connected to the program throughout and am confident that I have continued to develop my coaching and leadership skillset to assist the development of the Tigers’ program holistically and for the players as individuals.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Cricket Australia for the opportunity, and to Cricket Tasmania for being so open-minded about my return, so I really can’t wait to just get stuck in and am looking forward to maintaining the direction of the program for an extended period of time.”
Cricket Tasmania CEO, Dominic Baker, said to recruit someone with national coaching honours on the CV was the goal of any state organisation.
“We’re thrilled to have Jeff returning to the helm of our male Tigers program,” Baker said.
“We clearly want the best available candidate for the role who also understands and fits with the culture of our organisation, and there’s no doubt that Jeff ticks both those boxes.
“We’ve all watched the progress of the Australian men’s program over the summer, and there’s nothing more to be said about it other than it was a sparkling success, and Jeff was a part of that.
“We did have a candidate nearly ready to go back in December that unfortunately fell through, however the timing of everything has been quite serendipitous, as with Jeff obviously knowing the program and the players so well, the transition now should be seamless.”
Vaughan began his contract with Cricket Tasmania in May 2022.
The first ever recipient of a Les Favell Foundation scholarships, before getting into the realms of coaching, Vaughan was an outstanding junior cricketer coming down from the Silver City and was a member of the Australian Cricket Academy’s 1997 intake of scholars.
He played 28 first class games for South Australia, making 1459 runs at an average of 31.04, including three centuries and a highest score of 157 not out. There were also 28 domestic one-day games, with a highest score of 57.
Vaughan first ventured into coaching with the SA Outbacks at the Australian Country Cricket Championships during the first decade of this century.
When he was in roles at the SACA, Vaughan twice took on roles as interim coach of the SA Redbacks.
