IAN Harvey believes Gloucestershire Cricket can drive for trophies and promotion if the senior side of the club help the rest of the squad.

Harvey, 43, who was capped 57 times by Australia and was part of their World Cup winning squad in 2003, has come out of retirement to become Gloucestershire’s number two coach alongside head coach Richard Dawson.

The all-rounder won six one-day trophies at the club between 1999 and 2003 and he says is looking forward to trying to bring the glory days back to the County Ground.

Harvey said: “It’s a really exciting time. Over the next few seasons, we’ve got the opportunity to start pushing for trophies and for promotion.

“We are past rebuilding now, we have a lot of senior players here who’ve played a lot of cricket and it’s up to us as coaches to get the best out of these lads. If we do then trophies and promotion aren’t out of the question.”

As well as being instrumental to Gloucestershire’s success around the turn of the century, Harvey was renowned for his all-round skills, particularly in one-day cricket.

He was named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year in 2004, and was also named Player of the Tournament in the first ever Indian Cricket League, which he won with Chennai in 2007.

Since retiring from professional cricket, Harvey as worked as coach and commentator and enjoyed a spell as Gloucestershire one-day coach in 2013.

He said the decision to return to Nevil Road was easy: “A lot of things at the club have changed but one thing that hasn’t is the supporters. They are one of the things that made it so enjoyable playing for this club and being successful.

“It is always nice to win but when you see how much enjoyment it brings them, it makes the job even more worthwhile. Hopefully they can keep supporting us and help us get back to the way we were.”

Harvey and Dawson played alongside each other at Yorkshire and worked together at Gloucestershire in 2013.

Dawson said: “It’s very exciting for the club to have Ian Harvey as assistant coach. We interviewed some very strong candidates and Ian stood out.

“He already knows about the club, having been a major part of its most successful period in the late nineties and early 2000s when they dominated the one-day competitions.

“His passion for the club is clear to see and he wants to recreate the successful environment he experienced here as a player.

“From a coaching point of view, he was an exceptional bowler, batter and fielder so he covers all technical bases and adds to an already strong coaching team that includes Owen Dawkins and Mark Thorburn.

“He knows a lot of the lads from when he was here as a coach with the one day squad in 2013 and the lads enjoyed his enthusiasm and knowledge.”

Harvey’s appointment follows the signing of exciting young batsman and fellow countryman Peter Handscomb as a second overseas player last Wednesday.