Stead gets Black Caps coaching job

Wellington: Gary Stead will be announced as new Black Caps coach as soon as this week after he was unanimously recommended to the New Zealand Cricket board. Stuff understands Stead was the five-man selection panel’s clear choice to succeed Mike Hesson ahead of the other shortlisted candidate, Central Stags Plunket Shield-winning coach Heinrich Malan, after both had their final interviews in recent days. Both men have been informed of the decision.

The final step is for the NZC board to ratify Stead’s appointment, which is expected to be a formality. It is understood Stead has already been approved by NZC’s high performance advisory sub-committee, before it goes to the full board.

Canterbury’s Stead, 46, was a short-priced favourite since Hesson’s shock decision in June to step down with a year to run on his contract, to spend more time with his family. Despite the demands of the job, it won’t be split and Stead will be head coach of all three formats, with next year’s World Cup in the UK his major target.

The five-test Black Caps batsman emerged through the powerhouse Canterbury team of the 1990s, playing 101 first-class matches over 14 seasons and scoring 4984 runs at 32. On retirement in 2006 he quickly turned to coaching and guided the women’s White Ferns to the 2009 World Cup final, where they lost to England, before taking the Canterbury men’s job in 2012.

In his five seasons at the helm, Canterbury won three Plunket Shield titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017, and one Ford Trophy 50-over final in 2017.

Stead was chosen by a panel made up of NZC chief executive David White, current test wicketkeeper BJ Watling, former Black Cap Luke Ronchi, former national selector and test opener and current Wellington coach Bruce Edgar. .- Stuff