Oliver accepts two-year deal

Queensland Cricket today announced the re-appointment of XXXX Queensland Bulls coach Terry Oliver for a further two years.

Queensland Cricket Chief Executive Officer Graham Dixon said Oliver had accepted the offer of an extended term following the recent meeting of the Queensland Board of Directors.

Oliver, 40, took the Bulls to the Pura Cup Final and to third spot in the ING Cup in his first season, which also saw Queensland achieve its equal highest representation in the national team with five players in the victorious World Cup squad.

Dixon said the Board had been pleased to offer a longer-term deal to the coach following his initial appointment for one season.

"Terry has impressed with his willingness to work with the Bulls and his overall dedication to Queensland Cricket," he said.

"We believe he has a lot to offer Australian Cricket and are delighted he will have the opportunity to further his development as a professional coach with the Bulls," Dixon said.

"Our charter has been to develop more players for the Australian team and with five players in the World Cup and also the West Indies touring side, plus three in the Australia 'A' team at present, we are starting to see the results from the work put in by John Buchanan, Bennett King and now Terry," he said.

The selection of Jimmy Maher this week to join the West Indian touring squad as back-up wicket-keeper to Adam Gilchrist brings Queensland's representation in the touring squad to five, including Matthew Hayden, Andy Bichel, Martin Love and Ashley Noffke.

Clinton Perren made his Australia 'A' debut this week in the series against South Africa 'A' alongside Bulls teammates Nathan Hauritz and Andrew Symonds.

Meanwhile recently retired Queensland and Australian bowler Adam Dale could bring down the curtain with one final honour with the announcement tomorrow night of the 2002-03 Peter Burge Medal winner for the best and fairest player in Brisbane XXXX First Grade.

Dale, the only two-time winner of the award, is expected to feature in the finalists, with other contenders likely to include Wests captain Aaron Nye, scorer of 916 runs this season, University of Queensland off-spinner Scott O'Leary, the leading wicket-taker with 41, former Queensland fast bowler and last year's winner Greg Rowell, Gold Coast allrounder Chris Swan and Wynnum-Manly allrounder Chris Simpson.

Tomorrow's Grade Cricket Presentation night will also feature the unveiling of a new award, the Kath Smith Medal, which will be presented to the best and fairest Konica women's first grade player.

The award is named in honour of the late Kath Smith, the Queensland allrounder who played six Tests for Australia in the 1930s and was vice-captain of the Australian team that played the first Women's Test against England in Brisbane in 1934.