When Simon Helmot received the news last week he had been appointed as an Australia A assistant coach for a tour to India, three of the first few people he called were ACT Cricket's Mark Vergano, Andrew Dawson and Peter Solway.

He thanked them all for their support, Vergano as chief executive, Dawson as high performance manager and Solway as chairman of selectors, during his time as head coach of the ACT Comets from 2005 to the end of 2007.

Now the Cricket Victoria High Performance Academy coach, Helmot admits there was a bit of luck involved in the national gig.

He was appointed to the AustraliaA role after another Victorian assistant in Darren Berry couldn't make the tour.

But he said he wouldn't have made it to India next month without his time in the capital.

''Someone asked me a question when I was leaving Canberra on whether I wanted the Australian job and I said as a coach you always want to coach at the elite level, and if there is ever an opportunity to be involved in the Australian team I'd be rapt, it's come a bit sooner than expected and I know there are a number of reasons why I was picked ... but you take it when you get it don't you,'' Helmot said.

''I think I've had quite a bit of experience over the last few years, at the centre of excellence and also the PM's XI games in Canberra ... and I suppose the opportunity has come around and they think I'm capable of it.''

Helmot was the coach of the Victorian under-19s team when it met the ACT side in an unofficial final last year to decide the top of the ladder position in the Australian championships. Victoria won, but the ACT's second place raised plenty of eyebrows, and Helmot said he was proud to have been part of the rise and rise of cricket in Canberra in the past three years.

''People are taking Canberra very seriously,'' Helmot said. ''Don't you worry about that.

''I think people recognise the importance of the territory and how it contributes to Australian cricket.

''If I can draw attention to that with my appointment, well I'm very pleased.''

Helmot said he had his eye on a few under-19s players he would like to see in the Victorian system, and he would also recommend the ACT as a great place to kick-start an elite playing or coaching career.