Cricket: Hesson goes from career coach to Black Caps coach

Mike Hesson talks to media during a press conference at the Pullman Hotel on July 20, 2012 in Auckland. Photo / Getty Images.

As a cricket-mad young man, Mike Hesson differed from his peers in one way - while many of them were aspiring to wear the silver fern, Hesson was dreaming of being their coach.

He achieved that goal today, being announced as John Wright's successor at the helm of the New Zealand cricket team.

Hesson, 37, couldn't be much more different than the man he's replacing. As a 23-year-old, the age at which Wright was making his test debut for New Zealand, Hesson became the coaching director for Otago Cricket.

Where Wright enjoyed an 18-year career in first class cricket and became one of this country's finest ever batsmen, Hesson has spent a similar spell picking teams and perfecting tactics in various roles within Otago and New Zealand Cricket.

And if New Zealand fans were clamouring for Wright's appointment after he turned India into one of the best sides in world cricket, few were doing the same after Hesson spent 11 months in charge of Kenya.

But, despite all the accolades and prestige assigned to his name, Wright failed to achieve the task of turning the Black Caps into a consistent, winning side.

That burden now falls to Hesson, and he couldn't be happier having earned a role he admitted was "tummy churning''.

"Ever since I was a young coach, 17 or 18 years ago, it was a dream of mine to coach the Black Caps, so you can imagine how I'm feeling at the moment,'' Hesson said.

"I'm a proud Kiwi and I'm very much a true believer in New Zealand cricket.''

Unfortunately, all the belief in the world does nothing to patch over the holes that have sunk the national side in recent years. Many fans may wonder what chance Hesson has to perform that particular fix-it if it was beyond the abilities of Wright, but Hesson was having none of the comparison.

"I don't consider myself as trying to take over his mantle - I think it's a fresh start and I'm looking forward to putting my own stamp on things,'' he said.

"John Wright is an absolute legend of New Zealand cricket. Firstly, as a player he's well-respected throughout the world. As a coach, he's highly experienced, did a superb job with India and followed it on with the Black Caps.''

Nor did Hesson believe his absence of a playing career was a hindrance.

"It's not a prerequisite to be an ex-international. You look at people in different sports - Sir Graham Henry for one - and there's many out there who have been able to do it without playing. I consider myself a career coach.''

The last time New Zealand were led by a coach bereft of international experience resulted in the ill-fated tenure of Andy Moles, in which a faction of his senior charges revolted and player power eventually saw his resignation, but Hesson doubted he would experience similar issues.

"I don't see a problem at all. I like players to take ownership - I'm not the sort of person who likes to remove power from people. Players in cricket have to make a lot of decisions on the field and a big part of my role in helping them do that.''

NZC evidently saw that balance between player and coach as desirable, selecting Hesson after receiving 22 applications. Chief executive David White viewed the appointment as long-term and he was confident the "rigorous and probing'' process found the right man.

"From my time in the job a number of people of mentioned Mike Hesson's name,'' White said. ``I'm just delighted with the result we've got - a high quality person and a high quality coach.''