The New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has decided to extend men’s cricket team head coach Gary Stead’s contract till the end of ICC World Test Championship 2025 cycle.
NZC had previously decided to go for separate coaches in different formats, however, they now changed their mind and retained Stead as the head coach for another two years.
“With most of our leading Black Caps playing across all three formats, and the culture of the group so strong and positive, we saw clear benefits in supporting the status quo,” NZC’s high performance chief Bryan Stronach said in a statement announcing Stead’s contract extension.
Stead, himself, urged the board in March to consider a separate limited overs head coach but on Tuesday said such a division was probably not suitable for New Zealand.
“We’re not a big country … Our pool of players is a little bit smaller perhaps than other countries around the world,” he told reporters.
“It makes the split coaching model probably not quite as relevant as other countries.”
He will instead continue to be supported by short-term consultant coaches for individual tours who bring specialist skills or knowledge of formats and conditions overseas.
Recent appointees have included Stephen Fleming, Shane Bond, Saqlain Mushtaq and Thilan Samaraweera.
He will also have the flexibility to opt out of certain tour commitments and have other staff step in.
“I was pretty open with New Zealand Cricket, and sort of explained that the idea of being away for eight or nine months on the road is unsustainable for anyone, players or staff,” he said.
“I’m certainly open to new coaches coming in. I don’t have to be the head guy, the front guy all the time.”
– With additional input from Reuters.
