ANDREW Gale has been appointed as Yorkshire's new first-team coach on a three-year contract.

The county's four-day captain has retired from playing to make the step up and replace Jason Gillespie, beating off competition from a number of more experienced candidates.

Gale, 32, has some coaching experience, having founded the Pro Coach Cricket Academy in 2006, although that is primarily focused on junior cricket.

The likes of Paul Farbrace, Richard Dawson and Australian Brad Hodge were all heavily linked with the post vacated by Australian Gillespie in September due to family reasons.

Gale had initially distanced himself from the role when questioned at the end of the season, saying: "I have ambitions for playing another year or two. The time is not right for me. 

"I want to go into coaching, but I want to learn my trade first. Captain and coach are too different, and too many players make that switch to the top job without learning what kind of coach they are first."

Gale spent 15 seasons as a county cricketer, scoring just short of 14,000 runs across all three formats. That tally included 20 first-class hundreds, although none in 2016.

Since taking over the captaincy in late 2010, Gale has won two County Championship titles.

Gale said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be appointed the first XI coach of this great club.

“I didn’t expect the opportunity to come as early as it has, but it is one that is too good to turn down.

“In taking up the role, I have ended a memorable playing career at Headingley. However, the challenge ahead is one that truly excites me.

“As first XI coach, I aim to continue the good work that has been done over the past five years with the excellent support staff that we have here.

“I have always believed in the group of players here at the club, and in turn I have earned their respect. I will demand a lot from them to ensure that we maintain the high standards that we have come to expect at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

“Ultimately, I cannot wait to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in.”

Yorkshire's director of cricket Martyn Moxon added: “We are delighted to announce that Andrew is going to be the new first XI coach.

“We have gone through a rigorous process and looked at all the options that were available to us.

“We had 16 applicants for the job with some extremely good candidates in that list.

"But, for what I believe we need, Galey was the obvious choice. He is highly qualified in the way that he has led the team as captain over the past seven years and has expertise that we didn’t want to lose at the club.

“I think the role now has got two parts to it. 

"In the short-term, we need someone who can manage the first XI which is, in Championship cricket, a pretty senior group. I think it’s important that we keep that continuity within the group and protect the environment that we’ve created, one that has been so successful for us.

“The long-term vision is to ensure that we have someone who can oversee the natural transition that will occur as the senior players retire and the younger players take over in their places. 

"It’s important that we have that continuity, and I think that in Galey we’re ensuring that will be the case.

“It also gives him time to build up his coaching experience and knowledge alongside the other excellent coaches we have here at the club."