Rediff
Auckland, Jul 25: Former Team India coach John Wright has joined New Zealand Cricket in a high performance role, while John Bracewell was reappointed as coach of the Kiwi side until April 2009.
Wright, thanks to his successful stint with Team India, has been in demand with cricket boards both in Pakistan and Bangladesh just after the World Cup in the West Indies.
But the former New Zealand captain was reluctant for another go at the demanding job of full-time coaching, that too in the subcontinent, and made it clear that he would prefer consultative roles for himself.
"I am...very pleased to announce that John Wright has been secured in a high performance role by NZC.
"There are many areas in our high performance programme in which we can utilise John's expertise and we are working through these with him to determine his exact role," NZC CEO Justin Vaughan said in a statement on Tuesday.
"John will be part of our drive to build player depth and to enhance the skills of our elite players.
"We are very pleased to have secured someone of John's calibre. With his success on the international stage and winning attitude he will be a significant asset," he said.
Vaughan also heaped praise on Bracewell and said, "We believe that John made good progress with the Blackcaps and we are delighted to retain him as the team's coach."
Since Bracewell took over the reins in 2003, New Zealand notched up 44 wins against 32 defeats and six no results in ODIs.
In the longer version of the game, the Kiwis won nine of 27 Tests, lost 12 and drew six.
"Recent changes to our high performance structure will see John and our elite players supported by a greater network of specialist coaches both on and off tour," Vaughan said.
"As already announced, Dayle Hadlee has been appointed as our head bowling coach. I am pleased to announce that Dayle will be joined by Mark O'Neill, who has been appointed as our head batting coach," he added.
O'Neill, 48, is a former New South Wales and Western Australia batsman and won five Sheffield Shield titles in a 12-year career.
Bracewell may have got another go at the job but NZC withdrew the coach's veto power in the selection process.
"We have decided to change the philosophy under which the selection panel makes decisions. This change in philosophy will see the panel move to consensus decisions.
"Consequently the seldom used ability to veto selection panel decisions that was attached to the position of Blackcaps coach has been removed," Vaughan said.