Cricket: CD appoint pair to drive coaching

Pete de Wet, the CEO of Central Districts Cricket. Photo/File

Central Districts Cricket has appointed Aldin Smith and Jamie Watkins as coaches of the CD Provincial A and the CD Hinds, respectively.

Smith, who leaves his position as Nelson Cricket coach, will move to Napier to take up the position of coach - performance and talent ID, and will form an integral part of the high-performance unit.

He also will be responsible for driving coach development throughout the CD region, as well as setting up a talent ID network.

"I was thrilled when I received the call informing me that I was the person who got the role. I am so humbled that Central Districts Cricket Association has put their faith in me, to drive an area which is so important to CD Cricket given the geographical area we cover," he said.

The prospect of working with young calibre daily excites Smith.

Chief executive Pete de Wet was pleased to have Smith's experience.

"He steps into a new and very important role, and success in this area will mean success both up and down the player and coaching pathways at CD Cricket," de Wet said.

Watkins will be at the Hinds helm on a two-year contract but will continue to work for Taranaki Cricket.

Watkins has been coaching CD representative teams for more than a decade and coached the Taranaki senior women's side. His most recent assignment for CD was as Provincial A men's team coach.

"I am very appreciative of the opportunity to coach the Hinds and excited by the prospect of working with a young squad who are motivated to take the team to a higher level over the next few years," said the former Taranaki senior men's rep.

"I have had an affiliation with the women's game over a number years supporting and following my wife during her international and domestic career as well as coaching at school and district level in Taranaki, and am looking forward to continued involvement through this appointment at what is a very exciting time for women's cricket in New Zealand," he says of Aimee Watkins (nee Mason), a former White Ferns and CD captain.

Said de Wet: "Jamie is an extremely talented coach and we expect him to achieve success working with our young Central Districts Hinds team.

"We believe he has what it takes to make our Hinds team successful and I am looking forward to seeing how the team progresses under his guidance".