Wet, dark, cold November. But Rob Andrew has had worse Monday mornings.

The Sussex chief executive was up and about at 5am yesterday contending with a ten-and-a-half hour time difference between here and Adelaide and getting everything ready for the announcement which grabbed cricket headlines.

Jason Gillespie’s impending arrival at second-division Sussex is big Anglo-Australian cricket news, even in Ashes week.

Andrew believes Gillespie has seen the opportunity to tackle a building job from a decent foundation at Hove, where he has a three-year contract.

He gave The Argus some insight into how the ex-Aussie fast bowler, turned double title-winning coach at Yorkshire, ended up committing to Hove.

And what he expects from what is being seen as a long-term appointment – and a real coup for the county.

The Argus:

Rob Andrew

Gillespie, currently preparing Adelaide Strikers for the Big Bash, said in a statement released by the club: “I am thrilled to be given the opportunity of taking the reins at such a proud and traditional club like Sussex.

“Having spoken with both Keith (Greenfield, Sussex’s director of cricket] and Rob I know that there is some excitement around the capabilities of the current playing group.”

Asked by The Argus whether Gillespie applied or had been targeted by Sussex, Andrew said it was a bit of both.

And that he understands why the 42-year-old sees Sussex as a great opportunity.

Andrew said: “In the modern era, when there is a coaching vacancy everyone in the world knows about it.

“Immediately Mark Davis left, we were inundated with all sorts of people and agents from all over the world.

“You don’t have to advertise a job like that now in modern sport.

“Various people approached us and there became an opportunity to talk to Jason about the possibility.”

Which was handy because Gillespie was among the men Sussex had their eye on.

Andrew said: “He was certainly on our list.

“If you are looking at who you might want on your hitlist, he would be pretty high up on it.

“Almost at the top, I would imagine.

“Everybody knows everybody in cricket these days.

“Everybody knows the agents and Keith Greenfield knows everybody.

“We started having conversations very quickly.

“It just became apparent that it was a possibility and it may well work for both parties.

“He ticks all the boxes we were looking for so you try and make it happen.

“He is a coach who has made a difference in English cricket, clearly, and he wants to make a difference here.

“He likes building teams. He likes developing players.

“In some way I think he has seen in us something he can make a difference to.

“From a coaching perspective, it is quite exciting.

“He has probably done all he could do at Yorkshire.

“He had phenomenal success there.

“He likes English cricket, he likes the county scene.

“It is not the worst place in the world to be, down here “He can see we have got some talent to it is a great recipe for a coach to get hold of.”

Gillespie now finds himself in the same position as Andrew was a year ago – committed to Sussex but not due to officially take over until the New Year.

Sussex assistant coach Jon Lewis is also in the Big Bash with Perth Scorchers although their teams do not go head-to-head until January 13 and 25.

Andrew said it was too early to say what the appointment would mean in terms of coaching and playing staff for 2018.

He added: “There is a balance between bringing players in and bringing your own through and you have got to get balance right.

“He knows what the coaching set-up is here at the moment.

“He knows Jon Lewis and Mike Yardy well.

“We will look at that when he gets his feet under the table.

“Keith and myself will be in contact with him a lot before January.

“Cricket is a now a worldwide game, chopping and changing between formats.

“The international experience Jason has and his contacts within the game are fantastic for us as a county.

“It brings a lot, the fact he is working in the Big Bash and Jon Lewis is there with one of his competitors “That can’t but help the club going forward.”