Mark Greatbatch is eyeing an English county coaching job and warns other cricket coaches will be lured away from New Zealand if they continue to be underpaid.
The former test batsman had an emotional final day of his two-year reign with Central Districts in the tour match against South Africa at
McLean Park in Napier yesterday.
He and wife Marina will visit England for a month in May on a $10,000 Prime Minister's scholarship.
Greatbatch will look at the set-ups at Middlesex and Yorkshire and put himself in the market for a county contract.
"It's been hugely enjoyable but it's time for a change. I want to find something else to get my teeth into," said Greatbatch, 40, whose involvement with Central Districts stretches back 18 years to when he first arrived as a player in 1986.
"I want to get better at coaching and find another challenge ... it's both exciting and frightening at the same time."
Greatbatch, who played 41 tests, said he still wanted to coach New Zealand, but he felt John Bracewell had the post "for as long as he wants it".
Greatbatch said coaching Central Districts was a year-round commitment because of its geographical spread and, after talking to South African coach Eric Simons, he realised that coaches in New Zealand were underpaid by world standards.
"A provincial coach in South Africa earns around $120,000, and we're not even close to that.
"New Zealand Cricket give very good support to coaches in other areas but hopefully they will re-evaluate the money side."
News of Greatbatch's departure last week stunned Central Districts players and officials, who had expected he would carry on after their State Shield one-day final win over Canterbury last month.
It leaked out after Tuesday's one-day international between New Zealand and South Africa in Napier, and Greatbatch was irked he did not have a chance to tell his players before it became public.
He was at Central Districts player Craig Spearman's wedding in Auckland, and had planned to announce it at the end of yesterday's match.
"The story implied I'd had enough and there's an element of that.
"But I haven't had enough of coaching. I've got a real passion for it."
The pinnacle was the comprehensive win over Canterbury in the State Shield final in Christchurch, where Spearman and two of Greatbatch's age-group proteges, Ross Taylor and Jamie How, plundered the bowling.
He usually takes copious notes during a match but said he "just dropped my book and watched" as his batsmen blazed away.
"They're a great group of players and there's an exciting time ahead of them."
Greatbatch said he had shown interest in some English county jobs last year, but being so far away made it difficult to do interviews.
He would explore coaching options in England and pick the brains of former England offspinner John Emburey at Middlesex.
If nothing came of it, he said, he had openings outside cricket in New Zealand.
- NZPA
Mark Greatbatch is eyeing an English county coaching job and warns other cricket coaches will be lured away from New Zealand if they continue to be underpaid.
The former test batsman had an emotional final day of his two-year reign with Central Districts in the tour match against South Africa at
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