Phil Jaques’s plans for life after his playing career are already well advanced.

The former Test batsman is a qualified Level Three coach in his native Australia - a path he is very keen to pursue.

Jaques is in the final year of a two-year playing contract with Yorkshire, and has not ruled out extending his stay at Headingley into 2014.

But having turned 34 at the start of this month, the left-hander, with close to 22,000 runs in all forms of professional cricket, is in the twilight of his playing days.

His first foray into coaching came during the most recent winter Down Under, both in grade cricket with Sydney club Sutherland and in domestic Twenty20 cricket with the Big Bash franchise Sydney Thunder, who boasted Chris Gayle and Matt Prior as their overseas players.

Jaques was the player-coach with the former and an assistant coach with the latter, both of which provided him with very different experiences.

“It was not great performance-wise with the Thunder because we didn’t win a game, but it was good to be a part of a professional organisation from the other side of the fence,” he said.

“It was as good an education as you’re going to get starting in the coaching ranks.

“We were a side who struggled from the start, but it was an enjoyable campaign just to be a part of it and see how the other side works. There’s no bigger experience than being part of a losing side. I learnt a lot.

“I also did the captain-coach role with my grade side. We went from being a mid-table team to getting beat in the final this year.

"We were on top right the way through, but we had a bad hour during the last day. We made some good strides as a club, which I’m proud of.

“It was good for me to be involved in a good side as well as a losing side.

“The guy (Shane Duff) who was head coach of the Thunder was my assistant at Sutherland. We flipped roles. It was good to work with him. We’ve got a good relationship.”

Jaques is qualified to coach at the highest level if the opportunity arises.

Although Level Three is the highest in Australia, Level Four is the highest in England.

Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie is currently in the process of completing his Level Four qualification, although it is not compulsory.

“As far as international coaching and first-class coaching is concerned, I’m qualified to do that,” confirmed Jaques. “It’s just about getting the experiences.

“It’s something that does interest me, but hopefully I’ve got a bit of cricket left in me yet.”

One of nine players out of contract at the end of the current summer, Jaques says he will sit down with Yorkshire in the coming months about the possibility of playing a ninth season in county cricket.

The ex-New South Wales player has played for Northamptonshire and Worcestershire, as well as Yorkshire twice.

“Contract-wise, we haven’t really spoken about next season yet. Both sides are currently working out what they want to do, and we’’ll see where we are in a few months,” he added.

“It’s definitely something I’ll be looking at. We’re still working out as a family where we sit, and Yorkshire are still working out what they want to do. I’m sure we’ll get some common ground over the next few months.”

Jaques, who will play in tomorrow’s LV= County Championship match against Somerset at Taunton, has scored 172 in five matches so far this season, including a top-score of 57 against Sussex in the opening week of the campaign.