Hawke’s Bay Cricket: Central Stags looking for more of the same in search to replace head coach Rob Walter

South Africa beckons for Central Stags head coach Rob Walter. Photo / Supplied.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

That’s the guts of the situation at the Central Districts Cricket Association (CDCA), as they seek a new head coach for the Stags.

Top of the domestic men’s Twenty20 and 50-over competition - and sitting second in the Plunket Shield - there’s not a lot wrong with what CD are doing.

So when incumbent Rob Walter departs next month to become South Africa’s men’s white-ball cricket head coach, someone who does things along similar lines will be the preference.

“We’ll probably look at the evolution of the team and where it’s at and we won’t change things too much in that regard,’’ CDCA chief executive Lance Hamilton said.

“We want someone to come in and carry on the journey we’ve been on and enhance it, rather than someone who will change it all up and stamp their authority.

“The thing about Rob is he took a bit of time to get to know the environment and figure out how it operates and that’s not an easy task for someone who doesn’t come from our regions.

“It’s such a vast area and so many different things go into making CD cricket what it is, so we’ll take stock and not rush into it.’’

Walter, who has previously worked for South Africa in strength and condition and fielding coach roles, came to the Stags in April 2021 having coached Otago.

He worked hard to build relationships with the existing CD staff and players, as well as the various minor associations that feed into the Stags. It was an invaluable task that brought greater cohesion to the whole organisation, said Hamilton, and improved results on the park.

The CDCA’s high-performance subcommittee met on Friday to decide on a job description for the new head coach, and discuss candidates for the interim role of guiding the Stags through the remaining Plunket Shield rounds that follow the end of the 50-over competition.

Walter isn’t the first Stags head coach of recent vintage to progress to cricket’s highest stage. Heinrich Malan is now head coach of Ireland, indicating that CD isn’t the worst shop window for those who aspire to the top level.

Hamilton said both men always had the makings of international coaches and, while it was sad to lose them, CD never had any illusions that the Stags would be the pinnacle of their careers.