NZ Cricket CEO backs coach Gary Stead despite Black Caps struggles

By Alex Powell

New Zealand Cricket - at a player and administrative level - is fully behind coach Gary Stead, despite the Black Caps’ fading results.

Following a 0-2 series loss in Sri Lanka, the Black Caps’ hopes of reaching another World Test Championship final are all but gone.

In conjunction with New Zealand’s dire showing at the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA earlier this year, the Black Caps are at a low ebb not seen since before the golden generation of the 2010s.

And to make matters worse, a three-test series away in India - where conditions will deliberately be manipulated against the Black Caps - mean the side could return for the home summer with seven straight defeats in the longest format.

As seems to be the case in modern sport, the team’s downturn of results has seen pressure fall on the Black Caps’ leadership. On Wednesday, Tim Southee stood down as test captain, and handed the reins to Tom Latham for India and beyond.

But speaking as the Black Caps returned to New Zealand briefly before their next assignment later this month, NZ Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink outlined that Stead will be backed to see out the rest of his contract, at least.

“Gary’s contract is up [until the] middle of next year,” Weenink explained. “That coincides with the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship.

“He’s absolutely got my full support and confidence.”

That support is mirrored by the playing group. Under Stead, this Black Caps side has reached finals in all three forms of the game, including winning the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021.

And while 2024′s results are nothing to write home about - with the exception of a first test series win over South Africa - the team can still look ahead to India, and a home series against England to turn things around.

“We’re a tight group, we spend a lot of time together,” said Southee. “It’s an exciting time.

“We’re three tests in, and two disappointing results against Sri Lanka but there’s still six test matches in front of us.

“The guys will regroup, and move forward in about eight or nine days’ time.”

While New Zealand cricket has enjoyed a golden era under both Stead and predecessor Mike Hesson, those days have arguably now passed.

The likes of Ross Taylor, BJ Watling and Colin de Grandhomme have all retired, while Trent Boult and Martin Guptill have opted to step away and focus on franchise T20 cricket.

And while the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips and Will O’Rourke have emerged to anchor a new generation of players, NZ Cricket accepts that the team will have to undergo short-term pain for long-term gain.

“You’re always going to go through periods, we’ve gone through 10 years of unprecedented success,” Weenink continued.

“As a lot of these once-in-a-generation players come to the end of their time, there’s always going to be a change in results and potentially a drop in results.

“But we’re really comfortable with the depth that’s coming through. We’re comfortable that we’ve got enough of the existing players carrying on playing and bringing through the next generation.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission