JASON Gillespie has revealed how he has tapped into one of most experienced figures in Twenty20 cricket in a bid to bring success to Yorkshire this summer.

Headingley chief Gillespie spent a lot of time with Australian veteran Brad Hodge this winter, with the pair forging a strong coach and captain relationship while working with the Adelaide Strikers.

Hodge, a former Lancashire player and currently coaching in the Indian Premier League with Gujarat Lions, has scored almost 7,000 runs in T20 cricket since debuting in 2003.

Ironically, the first of his 256 matches worldwide was for Leicestershire against Yorkshire at Grace Road, when he scored 97.

Nobody else has played more matches than 41-year-old Hodge, while only Chris Gayle has scored more runs than him.

The pair united to take the Strikers to the semi-finals of the Big Bash either side of Christmas and a similar finish for Yorkshire in this year's NatWest T20 Blast would see the county reach only their second Finals Day and their first since 2012.

"I spent a lot of time with Brad, who I appointed captain, and speaking with him about his philosophies on the game of T20," explained Gillespie.

"Obviously he's one of the most experienced T20 players in the world and being able to get his insights into the game was really good.

"We spoke a lot about having no fear of failure. We know the nature of the game – things can go well and things can go not so well – but you need to stay on an even keel.

"When things are going really well, you don't get too up, but when things haven't quite worked out, don't get too down either.

"That just reinforces that if you're very process-orientated about how you approach the game, it gives you the best chance of being successful."

Yorkshire's Blast opener this Friday is a repeat of Hodge's debut, albeit at Headingley under lights.