Double national champions the Central Stags will have two new Head Coaches next season — but they’re both very familiar faces with an impressive track record of Domestic success.

CDCA staffer GLENN POCKNALL has been named as the team’s Head Coach for the 2023/24 one-day Ford Trophy and first-class Plunket Shield defences, while former Central Stags, Leicestershire and Worcestershire representative and current Northamptonshire batting coach BEN SMITH has been appointed as the team’s Dream11 Super Smash, with Pocknall joining him as Assistant Coach for this summer's T20s.

Pocknall served as the Stags’ interim Assistant Coach in the one-day and first-class arenas at the back end of last season, stepping in to assist ALDIN SMITH after Head Coach ROB WALTER departed in February for a new job as South Africa men’s white-ball coach.

Glenn Pocknall | PHOTOSPORT

Pocknall had joined the wider Central Districts coaching staff as Pathway and Performance Coach last year from Cricket Wellington. He had coached the Wellington Firebirds to Domestic championship wins in all formats, winning The Ford Trophy (2019), the Plunket Shield (2020) and Dream11 Super Smash (2020 and 2021).

Most recently, Pocknall has been on a sabbatical as an assistant coach (bowling lead) of the Scotland men’s team that has been making history at the ICC World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe this month.

Along with the fellow Kiwi-based coaching staff, he has helped Scotland to achieve historic victories over full ICC members Ireland, the West Indies and Zimbabwe - setting up a showdown tonight with The Netherlands for the last available spot at the World Cup, and upending all the pre-tournament predictions.

The highly regarded Pocknall also filled in as the BLACKCAPS' Head Coach on the team’s 2021 T20 tour of Bangladesh.

"I'm really looking forward to stepping into this new role to add my flavour to a great system of developing people and players," he said from Zimbabwe.

"It’s been the most thorough appointment process I’ve been involved in, highlighting the passion and commitment that the CD Association has to move the game forward within the region.

"Having had a taste now of the unique challenges that are faced at Central Districts, I can’t wait to get to work with the staff and players to ensure that not only the Stags' group is progressing, but also the wider CD family through the Districts."

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BEN SMITH has enjoyed a long connection with Central Districts since first arriving in the region as an overseas player in the 2000/01 season.

Highly respected coach Ben Smith is no stranger to CD

As a player, he accrued immense experience across both the New Zealand and English County Championship landscapes. In his 20-year-career he played 399 List A one-day and 334 first-class matches, including 43 centuries, as well as 51 matches for Worcestershire in the UK’s T20 Blast.

Later Smith filled coaching roles with both his former counties, as well as the England Lions and two stints with the Central Stags.

The first of his Stags appointments was in 2016/17 as a Specialist Coach supporting then Head Coach Heinrich Malan for the Super Smash and Ford Trophy competitions.

When Malan was seconded to coach NZC’s New Zealand A team for two months in 2018, Smith returned to once again join forces with the Stags as interim Head Coach, overseeing the first two rounds of the 2018/19 Plunket Shield and taking them through the entirety of The Ford Trophy campaign that summer.

Ben Smith (left) represented the Stags for two memorable summers | PHOTOSPORT

In 2017, he had also joined Cricket Ireland to work closely with the Irish squad following their elevation to ICC Full Member status, before being appointed to his current role as Northamptonshire Batting Coach in 2021.

Smith said he was very much looking forward to returning to New Zealand in December and reconnecting with a number of familiar players — as well as meeting the newer members of the squad.

"I'm really excited and looking forward to working closely with all the team, in conjunction with Glenn, in the Dream11 Super Smash T20 competition," he said.

"I’d like to thank CD Cricket for offering me this role. It's one that I see as an exciting challenge, and a brilliant opportunity to help enhance and build on the strong environment that's already in place with the Stags.

"I have very fond memories of my time both as a player and as a coach previously with the team, and I can't wait to get over to start working with this highly skilled group of players.

BEN SMITH KNOWS THE TERRITORY • Photo courtesy HBToday

"We'll be striving for success and embracing this fast-paced, high energy and enjoyable format whilst having some fun along the way!"

Central Districts Chief Executive LANCE HAMILTON said the twin appointments would provide a good mix of stimulation and stability for the successful team as they look to back up a brilliant 2022/23 summer.

“With Glenn based here in Central Districts, he will formally step into his new role to start planning and preparing the squad on August 1, while Ben will join us from the United Kingdom in December, ahead of the Dream11 Super Smash campaign.

“With the launch of our world-class new training facilities at Mitre 10 Park, it’s a particularly exciting time to be stepping into these roles.

“We know from experience that we have secured two outstanding individuals and coaches in these roles, and I’m really delighted to be welcoming them both back to the Stags’ High Performance environment.”

Article added: Thursday 6 July 2023