Ex-England coach joins Australians Assistant coach Dene Hills

DOUG Bollinger and Ryan Harris were the most high-profile additions to the Australian squad for tomorrow's second Test, but the man shaping as the most important addition won't be wearing a baggy green.

This Test will be the first time Australia can call on the expertise of new performance analyst Dene Hills, who was England's lead batting coach until his dramatic poaching by Cricket Australia in the lead-up to the Ashes.

Hills, 40, who had an illustrious 11-year Sheffield Shield career with Tasmania before coaching, had been unable to join the Australian team after the England and Wales Cricket Board enforced a three-month non-compete clause in his contract. The clause expired last Friday.

Hills and Jamie Cox, now an Australian selector, formed the most prolific opening partnership in shield history, with 6292 first-wicket runs.

Hills's playing career for the Tigers overlapped the start of Ricky Ponting's. When he retired in 2001 he progressed to the senior batting coaching role at the Centre of Excellence, under current Australian coach Tim Nielsen. He and current Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons also served as part-time assistants to former Australian coach John Buchanan.

Hills will not be eased into the role. He will instead be given a significant hands-on role in this Test, which includes using video analysis to explain to the Australian players how to best target the English.