National cricket selector Edgar too valuable to be passed over

New Zealand Cricket selector Bruce Edgar (L) with Black Caps coach Mike Hesson. Photo / Dean Purcell

Bruce Edgar's contract as the general manager of national selection at New Zealand Cricket is up for renewal.

His deal ended after the World Cup. It is imperative he is re-signed. A decision is yet to be made.

Edgar began the job in September 2013; New Zealand have not lost a test series and have won six out of eight one-day international series since. The team also reached their first World Cup final. Surely those results cannot be mere coincidence?

Certainly the players, under the captaincy of Brendon McCullum and the stewardship of Mike Hesson, deserve the majority of credit, but Edgar must also take plaudits.

Talent is moulded within the team environment but players must be found before they're nurtured. Edgar's methodical technique as a cricketer and acumen as a businessman have influenced his dispassion as a selector. Picking teams and contract lists risks lurching into spells of emotion and intuition. Edgar has stuck to pragmatism and logic.

During his 19-month tenure, Tom Latham has been introduced successfully as a test opener, Mark Craig has become the first-choice spinner in the Daniel Vettori vacuum, Trent Boult has established himself as a white ball bowler, taking a New Zealand record 22 wickets at the World Cup, and Grant Elliott returned to the ODI side to become a tournament hero.

Those are just four examples, without mentioning Edgar's work convening the New Zealand A and under-19 squads. Players have welcomed the stability which has resulted in consistent performances.

Edgar could have waltzed into a position on the NZC board but preferred a hands-on role. His skill-set is perfect as a respected former player who became a financial consultant and top-level coach in New South Wales before returning home.

As far as consensus characters go, Edgar's in the top echelon. His most aggressive on-field act was arguably giving Australia's Chappell brothers the fingers through sausage batting gloves after making a century in the 1981 underarm ODI.

NZC now needs to draft a contract and bring a pen.