Yorkshire players will be encouraged to go to the bar in a bid to secure an immediate return to the top tier of the LV= County Championship in 2012.

The county’s hierarchy have unveiled a new coaching team led by Jason Gillespie, a member of the all-conquering Australian Test side for ten years between 1996 and 2006.

A big part of the success of Ricky Ponting’s side was building team spirit and chewing the fat over a pint after a day’s play or at the end of a match.

That was an approach that ex-fast bowler Gillespie advocated when he was the Headingley overseas player in 2006 and 2007.

“Jason is the ultimate professional and he had an aura about him,” said Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale.

“He just loved to talk about cricket. When you’re in a professional atmosphere, you can sometimes get away from the ground and nobody wants to talk about it, if you know what I mean.

“But he would encourage the lads to go to the bar and talk about cricket because he believes that’s where you learn your stuff.

“He’s played in one of the best teams the world’s ever seen, so I’m sure he’ll be good for us.

“To have a bit of that positive Australian culture around the club in Jason and Phil (Jaques) is a good move.

“I want the players to have the freedom to go out and enjoy themselves and I think these two will help to bring that.”

Gillespie takes up his new role in time for a pre-season tour of Barbados in mid-March, although he will spend a week with the squad at Headingley next month.