Back to future for Sparks

Nathan King
Nathan King
Nathan King has returned to Otago cricket a year after resigning as head coach of the Volts.

The 35-year-old will replace Warren Lees as coach of the Sparks. Lees guided the Sparks to two titles in five seasons but the 65-year-old decided to retire in May.

King, who declined to be interviewed, previously coached the Sparks from 2009 to 2012 before joining the Volts management as an assistant coach. He was named head Volts coach in 2015 but resigned following a post-season review in April last year.

He kept a dignified silence about claims he had been pushed out because of player power, saying ''coaching is still something I remain very passionate about and would love to stay involved in in some capacity in the future''.

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Mike Coggan said the association went through a robust recruitment process and King was the standout candidate.

''We had about 12 applicants from various places around New Zealand and overseas and given his skill set and experience ... he stood out,'' Coggan said.

''The fact he had been in the Volts environment previously never came into it. It had no correlation to anything.

''He was really passionate about what he could bring to this role ... and we agreed.''

In a press release, King said he was ''honoured to be given the opportunity to coach the Otago Sparks again''.

''I'm excited about working with some of our country's finest players alongside a number of talented young players in the Otago and Southland region.

''I would like to acknowledge the success the Sparks have achieved under Warren Lees and am extremely motivated to see this continue.''

King, who helped out with the Otago under-19 men's team last summer, will start in what is an expanded part-time role on August 1 which runs through until the end of the season.

The Sparks season review highlighted the need to have a coach based in Dunedin who would be more available to help bring through some of Otago's developing talent.

''We are transitioning a lot of younger girls into that environment. We are probably going to lose Suzie [Bates] for a big chunk of the domestic programme to the Big Bash, so it is a different time and we are just going through a different era in women's cricket.''

One of King's first tasks will be to appoint his support staff, with the Otago Cricket Association ''driven to grow the quality of our women's programme'', Coggan said.

 

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