Delray Rawlins will have even greater incentive to impress at Sydney Cricket Club after the appointment of former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie as Sussex’s new coach.

Rawlins has spent the past month in Gillespie’s home city, playing for Sydney Cricket Club in the New South Wales Premier League as part of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s International Pathway programme.

The former St George’s all-rounder links up with the England Lions this week in Queensland, where he will receive specialist coaching from Stuart MacGill, a former Australia leg spinner.

Gillespie, who coached Yorkshire to the County Championship title in 2014 and 2015, has agreed an initial three-year deal at Hove. He replaces Mark Davis, who left the club by mutual consent last month.

Rob Andrew, the Sussex chief executive, believes Gillespie can help nurture the club’s young talent such as Rawlins, Jorfa Archer and George Garton.

“Jason is exactly the experienced head coach we had hoped we would attract,” Andrew said.

“He has enormous experience of the English county game after his very successful spell with Yorkshire.

“We believe we have a very talented young squad and we need a bit of stability and a coach of Jason’s experience to help mould a successful team.”

Gillespie, who spent time on the coaching staff at Kent last season, has also coached the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, Australia’s domestic Twenty20 competition, for the past two seasons.

“I know that there is some excitement around the capabilities of the current playing group,” Gillespie said.

“I look forward to getting over there and playing my role in helping Sussex achieve its on and off-field goals for 2018 and beyond.”

The 42-year-old took 259 wickets at an average of 26.13 in 71 Tests for Australia between 1996 and 2006.

Rawlins, a former PHC and Bailey’s Bay player, was one of eight players awarded an Overseas Placement by the ECB.

The 20-year-old made four appearances for Sussex in the Specsavers County Championship Second Division last season. He also helped Sussex win the Second XI Twenty20 tournament.