Cricket: Aussies dominate coaching line up

Damien Wright only just quit playing for Victoria but the first-class seamer is keen to get to work with our young bowling talent. File photo / Getty Images

Two Australians and one New Zealander as the national team's coaching triumvirate?

No problem, says head coach John Wright, whose priority is working with the best available. Where they're from doesn't concern him.

Former Tasmanian and Victorian seamer Damien Wright was yesterday confirmed as Allan Donald's replacement for the New Zealand bowling coach position.

The third in the mix is Wright's assistant, well-regarded New South Welshman Trent Woodhill.

"As head coach you're trying to get the best team around you. That's critical," John Wright said yesterday from Brisbane, adding that he hoped, in the not too distant future, recently retired quick Shane Bond would be keen and involved in the mix.

He likes what Damien Wright will bring to the operation.

The younger Wright, 35, played 123 first-class games, taking 406 wickets in a career which began with Tasmania in 1997, included stints at five English counties, Scotland and a couple of games for Wellington in last year's T20 HRV Cup. He retired from Victoria at the end of the summer.

"He knows what he's talking about, he'll bring great enthusiasm and he's very positive," John Wright said.

"I like that sort of attitude and hopefully he'll complement the group well. There were another couple of candidates I'd have had no problems with but in the end, I think he's the guy we need at present."

Damien Wright admitted it had been "a pretty quick turnaround" from player to coach, although he'd done some work in that capacity with Victoria over the last three seasons.

"I'm thoroughly looking forward to it," he said, adding that he's the type of coach who likes to get his hands dirty.

It's a similar view to that espoused by Woodhill on his reconfirmation in the set-up several weeks ago.

John Wright isn't exactly known as a hands-off, detached type either so a degree of simpatico can be detected in the group philosophy.

Some of the younger, promising fast-medium bowlers have caught Damien Wright's eye, notably Central Districts trio Doug Bracewell, Adam Milne and Ben Wheeler. Among his challenges is getting the younger prospects ready for the big stage.

Wright, who identified current England bowling coach David Saker and former New Zealand coach - now Australian fielding coach - Steve Rixon as two of the biggest influences on his career, said his philosophy revolved around forming a solid relationship with the athletes.

"I want to get the young guys up and on the go and to deliver them to the international stage upbeat and feeling confident about what they do," he said.

John Wright talked of two distinct groups in the fast/fast-medium department: the established 30-plus bowlers like Chris Martin and Kyle Mills, and the 19-21 age group.

"They may be a couple of years off but we've got to bring them through quickly.

"It's a matter of making sure our experienced bowlers are fit, strong and keen and keep them performing.

"With pace bowling, there's a period where young bowlers take a little while to grow and get strong enough to handle the load you're exposed to in five-day cricket."

Damien Wright joins the coaching team on September 5, ahead of the team's tour to Zimbabwe.

The other appointments in the management team of fitness trainer, physiotherapist and team manager, are due to be named shortly.

The interviewing panel of five - understood to include international Jacob Oram, John Wright, New Zealand Cricket's director of cricket, John Buchanan, NZC board member Sir John Hansen, and former team manager Sir John Graham - interviewed a short list of five last Monday.