Latest news with #BlackCaps'
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Black Caps v South Africa live updates: Twenty20 Tri-series, game two from Harare
All the action as the Black Caps meet South Africa in the second match of the T20 Tri-series in Zimbabwe First ball at 11pm 'Very committed': Williamson not done with Black Caps, despite Zimbabwe snub Despite opting out of this month's tour of Zimbabwe, Kane Williamson still has aspirations to represent his country, new Black Caps coach Rob Walter says. At 34, and with more yesterdays than tomorrows in his international career, Williamson has opted out of the test and Twenty20 tri-series with South Africa, in order to play franchise cricket in England. Last year, after New Zealand's exit from the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States, Williamson stood down from the Black Caps' white ball captaincy, and opted out of a central contract. And while he now holds a casual playing agreement with New Zealand Cricket, that effectively leaves Williamson able to pick and choose when he plays for the Black Caps. Williamson skipping white ball series is nothing new. The Black Caps have become accustomed to finishing the New Zealand summer with weakened sides, in order to let our best and brightest play in the Indian Premier League. However, Zimbabwe will be the first time Williamson has opted out of test commitments, easily the format in which he has excelled the most. But with the Black Caps' test calendar sparse for 2025, Williamson will instead maximise his earnings - with his English stint coming after similar opportunities in South Africa and Pakistan. As the Black Caps' new head coach, Walter is more than versed in the tug of war between club and country. But now preparing to take charge of New Zealand for the first time, the 49-year-old is confident Kiwi fans have not seen the last of Williamson. 'Myself and Kane have had a nice conversation, a long conversation,' Walter told the Herald. 'It was really great to catch up with him and discuss cricket. It was great to get his lens on New Zealand cricket and the Black Caps. He's been so influential in their success over the years. 'But then also to discuss what the future might look like. I've said it repeatedly, he's still very committed to the Black Caps, and wants to play international cricket. 'I don't think it'll be too long until we see that.' While he may not consider it himself, Williamson also has a huge incentive to continue playing for the Black Caps in the longest format. Following his last test innings, 156 against England in Hamilton in December, Williamson's record reads 9276 runs. Should he score 724 more, he'd become the first New Zealander to cross the fabled mark of 10,000. And, given the trajectory of the modern game, it's more than likely no other Kiwi will get anywhere near whatever mark Williamson sets. As for the other forms of the game, though, there is still much to be decided. Following this year's Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE, Williamson is yet to make any call on whether or not he'll continue playing white ball cricket internationally. Of his modern contemporaries, only England's Joe Root continues to play both red and white ball cricket. India's Virat Kohli has retired from tests, while Australia's Steve Smith has done the same for ODIs and T20s. But as the Black Caps build towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, and 2027 ODI World Cup, Walter says any decision over Williamson's white ball future won't come from his coach. 'If that was a decision to be made, it would be his. Quality players stay quality players, and they just work at finding a method to be successful in all formats. 'He's a generational talent, I've got no doubt he'd find a way. He's probably jostling with what that actually looks like for him personally. 'But as I said, quality players find a way.' Williamson isn't the only Black Cap whose availability Walter will have to wait on, though. Despite holding a central contract, all-rounder Michael Bracewell is unavailable for this series, in order to take up a $450,000 contract in England's The Hundred competition. On the flip side of that, though, Devon Conway has made himself available for the tests, while Adam Milne, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert have been selected for the T20s - all of whom hold casual deals. In the past, Walter has told the Herald that finding the balance between franchise and international cricket is 'the biggest challenge in the game'. And with the issue not going to abate any time soon, Walter asserts that all parties must work in unison to find the right balance. 'It's case by case,' he continued. 'We've been challenged in how we view things. The game is definitely moving, there are decisions having to be made that weren't part of our thinking five to ten years ago. 'From that point of view, it's [about] trying to be cognisant and understanding the positions players are in. 'But ultimately, the Black Caps must always come first, we must prioritise that. But there is a happy medium. 'We probably don't understand exactly what that looks like just yet. But if the players, New Zealand Cricket and the Black Caps are working very hard together to get the balance right, we'll find our way to the other side.'
NZ Herald
07-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Black Caps v Zimbabwe: Kane Williamson opts out of test series, Northern Districts' Matt Fisher wins first call-up
As had been expected, Kane Williamson has made himself unavailable for the Black Caps' two-test series away in Zimbabwe this month. The 34-year-old had already opted out of New Zealand's Twenty20 tri-series with the hosts and South Africa so he could take up a stint in England with county side
NZ Herald
07-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe to be broadcast on Three Now
Kiwi cricket fans will be able to tune into the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe free-to-air later this month, with Three Now securing broadcasting rights. The streaming platform will broadcast the T20 tri-series series, which features the Black Caps, South Africa and Zimbabwe from July 14-26, before the two-
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First Post
06-06-2025
- Sport
- First Post
New Zealand appoint Rob Walter as head coach in all formats ahead of Zimbabwe tour
Rob Walter has been appointed as the new head coach of the New Zealand men's cricket team across all formats, replacing Gary Stead. The former South Africa white-ball coach will begin his tenure with the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe. read more Wellington (New Zealand): Rob Walter has been hired to coach the New Zealand men's cricket team in all three formats as a replacement for Gary Stead. Walter coached South Africa's teams in the one-day and Twenty20 formats from January 2023 until April this year. Before then he coached New Zealand's Otago province for five years and at the Central Districts association. He guided South Africa to the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup and the Champions Trophy earlier this year in the ODI format and to the final of the T20 World Cup last year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Stead was New Zealand head coach in all three formats from 2018 until earlier this week, when New Zealand Cricket announced it was seeking a replacement. Stead announced in March he was stepping down from his roles in the limited-overs formats but intended to remain as test coach. New Zealand Cricket said it preferred a coach to lead the Black Caps in all three formats. 'It's an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series will be contested,' Walter said. 'I just can't wait to get started. It's exciting, it's challenging and the opportunity is enormous.' The 49-year-old Walter was high on New Zealand Cricket's list of preferred candidates from the moment it decided to pursue another all-formats coach, ruling out Stead who guided the Black Caps to the inaugural World Test Championship. 'Rob is a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree,' NZC chief executive Scott Weenink said. 'His success in New Zealand's domestic game combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps.' He'll take over in time for New Zealand's tour to Zimbabwe, which starts with a T20 tri-series against the hosts and South Africa before a two-Test series against Zimbabwe.
1News
06-06-2025
- Sport
- 1News
New Black Caps head coach named
Former South Africa, Otago, and Central Districts coach Rob Walter has been appointed as the Black Caps' new coach in all formats. The 49-year-old, who replaces Gary Stead, said he was "honoured and excited" to be given the responsibility to carry on the work of his predecessor. 'The Black Caps have been a successful and highly-regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it's a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that," he said. "It's an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested." Walter has been appointed on a three-year deal, beginning in mid-June through until October/November 2028. ADVERTISEMENT Born in South Africa, he lives in Hawke's Bay. Parliament punishment, free money?, getting wicked again (Source: 1News) He was most recently head coach of South Africa's white ball teams. During his contract term, he will see the Black Caps through the ICC World Test Championship, the 2028 LA Olympics, and three major ICC events: the ICC 2026 T20 World Cup, the ICC 2027 Cricket World Cup, and the ICC 2028 T20 World Cup. "I just can't wait to get started. It's exciting, it's challenging, and the opportunity is enormous for everyone," Walter said. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Scott Weenink said it was the right time and place for Walter to join the team. 'His success in New Zealand's domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps."
