SYDNEY, July 18: Alex Kountouris has taken over from Errol Alcott as Australia's physiotherapist, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Kountouris, Alcott's number two for the last three years, worked with the Sri Lanka team from 1996 to 2003.

Alcott stood down last month to join Australian rugby league club South Sydney Rabbitohs after 22 years with the national cricket team.

“It goes without saying that Errol has played a significant role in the success of Australian test and one-day international cricket over the past 22 years,” CA general manager Michael Brown said in a statement.

“His impact on Australian cricket has been immense and we wish him well in his exciting new role with the Rabbitohs. His are big shoes to fill but in Alex Kountouris there is no doubt we've found an excellent successor.”

Kountouris said he was looking forward to working with world cricket's top-ranked Test and one-day team.

“It is a fantastic honour to be given this responsibility and a really exciting challenge,” he said.

“Errol has done an outstanding job with the team for a long time and I look forward to continuing to implement the structures he has developed.”—Reuters