Coaching reshuffle at Central Districts
Two new coaches are in the mix at Central Districts Cricket.
Nelson’s Aldin Smith is the new CD A coach and Jamie Watkins from Taranaki is the new Central Hinds women’s coach.
Watkins takes over from Horowhenua-Kapiti’s Nigel Brooke, who coached the women for two seasons. CD have had a reorganisation and Brooke will not have the time for coaching in his new job as community cricket manager, overseeing the amateur game.
Smith, who was the Nelson senior men’s coach last season, will move to Napier to take up the newly created role of coach performance and talent ID for CD and will also coach the A side, which was coached by Watkins last season.
The South African-born Smith spent five years at the internationally acclaimed Tuks Cricket Academy at the University of Pretoria.
He may fill a similar role to the departed Craig Ross.
Ross was CD’s director of cricket since 2012, but left the job in June to become high performance operations manager of Hawke’s Bay Cricket.
Stags coach Heinrich Malan will look after the 15 contracted players, as well as their contracted Black Caps when they have them.
So Smith will look after all the players underneath the CD Stags senior men, including uncontracted Stags players and age-group players.
He will also be responsible for driving coach development throughout the region and setup a talent identification network.
‘‘I was thrilled when I received the call informing me that I was the person that got the role,’’ Smith said. ‘‘I am so humbled that Central Districts Cricket Association has put their faith in me, to drive an area which is so important to CD Cricket given the geographical area we cover.’’
Watkins is on a two-year contract with the Hinds and will take what is likely to be a young team this season. He will also continue his job as a Taranaki development officer.