Former Queensland fast bowler Shane Jurgensen has extended his contract by a further two years as New Zealand bowling coach, thereby making him the longest serving coach for the national side. Jurgensen’s new deal is set to keep him in charge until the end of 2022, which would accumulate in a total of nine years with New Zealand, including his previous stint from 2008-10.
“It’s a huge honour to continue my coaching journey with New Zealand Cricket,” he said. “I love my job and feel lucky to have been involved with such a special group of players and support staff for the past five years.
“We’ve had some amazing experiences as a team and I’m looking forward to working alongside Gary [Stead, the head coach] and Kane [Williamson, the captain] as we prepare for an exciting summer. It’s a privilege to work with such a world class bowling unit and I’m proud of the depth we’ve added to the group which has us well prepared for the variety of challenges ahead.”
Jurgensen had also been instrumental in the rise of Bangladesh when he was with them for three years until 2015, having also coached Fiji and advised Scotland earlier. Gary Stead, New Zealand’s head coach, acknowledged the impact that Jurgensen has had on the bowlers and looked forward to “having his energy and passion around the group for another couple of years”.
“Shane’s done an outstanding job with the bowlers over the past five years and you only have to look at their performances to see his impact,” Stead said.
“He obviously possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience, but I think it’s his planning and work ethic that has helped get the best out of our top players consistently. His influence also extends beyond the Black Caps with his knowledge and leadership helping shape the wider NZC pace-bowling system which is already reaping rewards.”
Source: ESPN Crickinfo