New Black Caps coach Gary Stead is targeting NZ cricket greats Stephen Fleming, Daniel Vettori and Shane Bond as Twenty20 coaching consultants.
Stead said the clause in his contract, which allows him to call on additional coaching support, was something both he and NZ Cricket had wanted.
The 46-year-old was particularly keen on addition support while coaching the shortest format of the game and with Fleming, Vettori, Bond and also Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell successfully coaching franchise cricket around the world, there was a natural fit.
“My view is that I don’t have the answers to all cricket solutions and all coaching solutions so my job is again to facilitate and find the best ways for the team,” he said.
“When you talk about some of the franchise coaches that are New Zealanders out there like Steve Fleming and Dan Vettori and Shane Bond and Mark O’Donnell, people like that.”
“I guess especially in the T20 game with the way it’s evolving so quickly, then I would be silly in my mind not to use the expertise of those people
Stead did tell media at his announcement as coach that he had not contacted any of these high-profile options yet.
Stead has been signed on a two-year deal and will take over the role from September 1.
“I would say from a New Zealand point of view and fitting in with the culture and ethos of New Zealand Cricket and what we’re trying to do, it would make sense,” he said.
“I’ve had a couple of quiet conversations with people to find out whether they’re interested and what they can do but when I start the role fully then I’ll be having those conversations more.”
Fleming has coached the IPL’s Chennai Super Kings and the BBL’s Melbourne Stars while Vettori is currently the head coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash league and Middlesex in the T20 Blast.
Shane Bond was appointed coach of the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash having been Vettori's assistant at the Heat and also the bowling coach at the Mumbai Indians.
Stead, a former Test batsman, replaces Mike Hesson in the role.
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