Shaun Tait: 'Aussie larrikin' will instil the old gritty values

Darren Lehmann has what it takes to turn Australia's troubled Ashes tour around, says his former team-mate Shaun Tait.

"I think Darren Lehmann's the man for the job," said Tait, a former Australia international currently playing T20 for Essex. "I reckon he'll bring a cool, calm atmosphere to the dressing room, which it seems it needs.

"I think it's positive for Australia. I think the players will want to play well for him."

Tait hopes that Lehmann can instil some traditional Australian cricketing values.

"It almost seems we have gone down the route of everyone trying to look good, be a bit robotic, I don't think it has worked. I think we need to get back to the gritty, hard Australian cricket in the opponents' face without being over-aggressive and looking like idiots," he added.

"We need to put pressure on the opposition even if we are not favourites. I think Australian cricket has been known for that and we have almost lost that in the last couple of years. Lehmann is a strong character, an Aussie larrikin cricket player so it's a good decision to get him in."

Tait acknowledged that the retirements of Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey had left Australia short of experience, but hoped that Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin could help fill that void.

Shaun Tait was speaking at the launch of the 2013 Friends Life t20 competition. For more information and to buy match tickets please visit ecb.co.uk/FLt20. #FLt20