Cricket: NZC in no rush to replace Moles

Andy Moles (L) talks to Brendon McCullum. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

New Zealand Cricket are at "ground zero" in terms of finding a new national coach, but won't be rushing a decision to replace Andy Moles.

Captain Dan Vettori will be in charge when the squad flies out for Dubai tomorrow and five limited-overs internationals against Pakistan; more than likely that status quo will remain when Pakistan return for three tests later in November.

National selector Mark Greatbatch will fly to the UAE but wearing his national selectors' hat rather than as a stand-in coach. However, NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said former test batsman Greatbatch, who had an ultimately unsuccessful stint as Warwickshire coach a few seasons ago, would most likely "get his hands dirty" in the nets.

Vaughan would talk names of possible replacements, aware that plenty of work lies ahead in finding the best candidate for a job which requires being on the road up to 11 months a year.

"We would like some certainty over the role by the time we get to late January, or early February [when Bangladesh arrive]," Vaughan said. "It would be great to have someone in place by then, but at least having some certainty by then is important."

Top quality coaches don't come cheap either, although last week's annual report showed a decent chunk of change in the bank account, so for the moment Vettori - with support staff and manager Dave Currie, along with Greatbatch - assumes an enormous job of work.

Vaughan sees one large carrot in NZC's corner in their search for a high calibre coach - the 2011 World Cup.

"To get a coach to commit through to that period of time is potentially going to be easier than it was a year ago," he said.

Both Vettori and Vaughan yesterday tiptoed around the one man who would be a strong public choice, former New Zealand captain and opening batsman John Wright.

Wright heads NZC's high performance unit and was a highly successful coach of a volatile, personality-heavy Indian side earlier in the decade.

There was much talk of Wright not having worked directly with the players, and vice versa - although he did help out in the leadup to matches last summer - and of a need to find his best role within the setup.

Vaughan also offered a telling line, which might suggest Wright is not seen as the ideal long-term head coach.

"We need to be careful around John," Vaughan said. "John has not said to me 'I want to do this job'. He wants to understand whether he could make a contribution.

"We all want to get the best out of John, all want the best for the Black Caps and want the best support for Daniel. I'm not sure if all those three lines intersect."

Vettori said he'd had limited direct dealings with Wright but suggested he could be involved during the Pakistan test series, which starts on November 24, working with the top order batsmen and going from there.

Stephen Fleming is another mooted as possible coach, but it is far too soon for that.

Moles resigned on Saturday, had a conversation with Vettori, and will head back to South Africa to rejoin his two children and his partner.

Vettori described their chat as "not as bad as I thought it was going to be".

"He's obviously disappointed with some of the things that came out but we were both keen to part as amicably as possible."

On Moles' complaint of not being aware players had gripes over his style, Vettori said the players felt they had tried to get that across "but I suppose it wasn't direct enough - whether it wasn't what Andy wanted to hear, or wasn't loud enough, only Andy can answer".

"No one wanted Andy to go, we just wanted him to get better, and that's directed at every member of the support staff, my captaincy and every player. If things don't improve then more acid will be put on individuals."

Moles, who was in charge just 11 months, said that "obviously my brand of coaching wasn't the brand these players desired".

"One of the great challenges of the coach is to try and get the chemistry right between the players and the coach, and I will take it squarely on the chin that on this occasion I have not got it right."