Fletcher to work with NZ cricketers

Former England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher will work with the New Zealand team as a consultant during the rest of the one-day series against India.

Fletcher, 62, a former Zimbabwe international who is credited with the resurgence of the English team at test level last decade, is now a full-time coaching consultant and has worked closely with the South African national side and Hampshire county cricket club in recent years.

New Zealand coach Mark Greatbatch welcomed the initiative, saying discussions with Fletcher stretched back two months.

Fletcher would follow the likes of former New Zealand greats Martin Crowe and Richard Hadlee and former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy in providing help.

"It's to see whether he can offer some ideas, take a look at the group and give us some feedback," Greatbatch told Radio Sport.

"It's just another opportunity for everyone to get some feedback from someone who's very expererienced. He has a great career behind him and Duncan has lots of good ideas so we're looking forward to having him."

Greatbatch said there would be no crossover of roles. He said Fletcher no longer sought head coaching duties and would simply observe for the next week or so.

"He needs to view our practices and see our first couple of games. He'll very much be in the background," Greatbatch said.

"The coaches will look forward to sitting down with him and discussing his thoughts on cricket. Maybe he'll come up with some different thoughts on where players are at."

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) high performance manager Roger Mortimer was pleased the New Zealand players and management would be exposed to Fletcher over the next two weeks.

"Duncan is a highly regarded coach and we are looking forward to having someone with his cricketing knowledge engage with the team," Mortimer said in a statement.

"Part of my role is to work with the coaching unit to provide the best environment for growth and development of the team. This includes tapping into the knowledge available from world class cricket experts.

"We've had a number of specialists come in and work with the unit or individual players and it's proven to be really beneficial."

New Zealand, who lost the test series 1-0 against India this month and who are winless in their last six one-day internationals, lost the opening one-day international agaisnt India by 40 runs in Guwahati last night. Fletcher will oversee their progress for the remaining four matches.

"It's healthy to use the expertise of others and to keep the environment fresh," Mortimer said.

"The team and coaching staff are really positive about having Duncan involved which says a lot for their eagerness to get the best preparation and play better cricket."

Fletcher's crowning moment was leading England to Ashes victory on home soil against Australia in 2005.

He coached England from 1999 to 2007, leading them from last to second place on the test cricket rankings, although he struggled to improved the one-day side of their game.

Fletcher has his detractors, having recently earned the ire of Australian coach Tim Nielsen when he suggested Australian cricket was in a "muddled state" going into the current Ashes series and that England would start as favourites.

Nielsen bit back: "You can quote me on this, we could not care less what Duncan Fletcher thinks about anything or anyone.

"His opinions on most things in test cricket are irrelevant."

Fletcher will join the New Zealand team in Jaipur tomorrow ahead of the second one-day international on Wednesday.

- NZPA