Bond’s dream job
Shane Bond as New Zealand cricket coach has a nice ring to it.
But in reality the former gun fast bowler is far more likely to accept a head coaching role in the Indian Premier League than chase Mike Hesson’s Black Caps job after the 2019 World Cup.
For now, Bond is excited and honoured to take the reins with New Zealand A when they fly to India on Tuesday for two four-dayers and five one-dayers, ending on October 15.
Then there’s the elephant in the room which Bond politely declines to discuss: his soon-to-be-confirmed job as England fast bowling coach for the first three Ashes tests in Australia, before he rejoins Brisbane Heat for the Twenty20 Big Bash starting on December 19.
Bond epitomises the modern coach where short-term contracts rule, including potential future deals with national teams.
‘‘I’ve got my sights on a head coaching role, but it’s how it all lines up with everything else in your life. I’ve got great opportunities with Brisbane and the IPL [with this year’s champions the Mumbai Indians] and I really enjoy them. My kids are at an age where I want to be around and not miss too much. Every opportunity you’ve got to look at and weigh up what’s best for the important people around you,’’ Bond said.
‘‘I’d love to be involved with the IPL [as a head coach]. I love the New Zealand cricket team and would like to have another period of involvement, I’m just not quite sure when that’s going to be.’’
Bond served his country with distinction as a strike bowler, then as bowling coach up till the 2015 World Cup as Tim Southee and Trent Boult became one of the best one-two punches around.
As Brisbane and Mumbai came calling, Bond worked with New Zealand’s promising fast bowlers and in recent months was skills coach for NZC’s winter training squad which led him to apply for the NZA contract.
He got the job, and has some experienced assistants in Central Stags coach Heinrich Malan, NZC’s high performance coach Bob Carter and wicketkeeping/ fielding coach Martyn Croy.
Thirteen of the 16 in the Henry Nicholls-captained squad have played for New Zealand, and most will be gunning for spots in the Black Caps’ limited overs tour of India next month. Like he did as a player, Bond will demand the highest standards from those around him.
‘‘I’m really clear about how I want to run things. I want to mirror the games and put players under pressure at training as much as we can. At this level people expect you to win, it’s not going to happen all the time but you’ve got to take that attitude,’’ Bond said.
‘‘Our job, first and foremost, is to make players better. We have to prepare the guys on our tour to push for Black Caps selection straight after, and put them in the best possible position to succeed on that trip. That’s the exciting thing for us.’’
There’s a few selection battles but the most intense will be between Tom Blundell, Tim Seifert and Glenn Phillips for one wicketkeeping spot in the India ODIs and T20s.
Bond sees plenty of depth in the ranks, with new allrounder Sean Solia and first-time India tourists like Stags George Worker and Seth Rance, the latter joining Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry and Scott Kuggeleijn as the pacemen.
Ferguson earned Bond comparisons with his pace and aggression last summer and the coach was impressed.
‘‘The challenge was always going to be to stay on the park and he [Ferguson] had a whole season, and that IPL experience when he made the final. That was massive, getting through the season and the next step is to cement that New Zealand spot through the quality and consistency of his performances.
‘‘He’s got the ability to bowl quick; we’ve just got to add some tools around it to complement it.’’