Locals lead race for Black Caps coaching job
Expect some of the country’s topperforming domestic coaches to fight out the Black Caps job, with New Zealand Cricket unlikely to pursue a ‘big name’ appointment.
Nearly a month since Mike Hesson’s shock resignation with a year to run on his contract, NZC advertised for his successor yesterday and hope to announce it by the end of August.
After cutting through the corporate speak – words like ‘‘transformational’’, ‘‘strategic alignment’’ and ‘‘holistic’’ – the job description is similar to the formula that worked for Hesson in his successful six-year stint.
Clearly the new coach will be in charge of all three formats rather than splitting the role to ease the time burden. Hesson insisted the coach should be in sole charge, for a consistent message and selection, but that also means an arduous job with long stints away from home. That was one reason for Hesson’s eventual resignation, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
NZC’s advertisement called for a proven and successful highperformance coach with experience and results to show for it.
The successful applicant should ‘‘develop not just a winning style of cricket but a positive, exciting style of play’’.
Finding the coach with the right skillset, rather than the right name, appears the highest priority. NZC chief executive David White was overseas and unavailable for comment, but has publicly stated his preference for a New Zealander, or someone who has coached at top domestic level in this country.
He didn’t shut the door on overseas candidates, but someone coming in cold with little knowledge of the New Zealand scene will face a task to convince the panel they’re the best option.
With former captains and high-profile Twenty20 coaches Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori not interested in the fulltime job, and former assistant Shane Bond having previously ruled it out, it leaves wellperformed locals as the leading contenders.
Gary Stead, a former White Ferns coach who won three Plunket Shield titles in four years with Canterbury, appears the early frontrunner alongside South African Heinrich Malan who celebrated his fifth year with Central Stags by winning the Plunket Shield in April.
Former title-winning Northern Districts coach Grant Bradburn, who guided Scotland to a shock win over England, put his hat in the ring last month and is a strong contender. Wellington’s Bruce Edgar and Auckland’s Mark O’Donnell have won recent titles but neither has publicly confirmed their interest.
NZC is understood to have already shoulder-tapped some of the country’s leading coaches to put their names forward.
Former Black Caps coach John Bracewell is unlikely to be one of them, having accepted the Northern Districts job yesterday which suggests he’s not chasing anything higher.
The interview panel is yet to be finalised but will include White, a former international as Players’ Association representative, at least one NZC board member and a High Performance Sport NZ representative.
Kane Williamson will play a significant part in the process, White confirmed last month, but the Black Caps captain won’t have an official role on the panel.