There will be a new face at the helm of the Aces for the upcoming season with the announcement today from Auckland Cricket that Paul Strang will coach the Auckland Aces for the next two seasons.
The former Zimbabwe international has worked for Auckland Cricket for the last 12 months as a High Performance Coach, having previously coached at East Coast Bays for three seasons, and stepped up to coach the Aces in the second half of the State Championship last season when Mark O’Donnell was called in as assistant coach to the Black Caps.
“We are delighted to able to appoint Paul to this key role”, said Chief Executive Andrew Eade. “Paul has a great deal of cricket experience and he enjoyed immediate success as a coach last season as the Aces stormed home to win the State Championship.”
Strang is thrilled to be appointed and looking forward to the challenges the role represents.
“It is an exciting time for Auckland Cricket with so many talented young players bursting on the scene and I am honoured to be given the opportunity to coach the Aces,” said Strang.
Former Black Cap Matt Horne has also accepted a full time coaching role with Auckland Cricket.
“Matt will take over in Paul’s previous role as High Performance Coach working primarily with our emerging talent,” said Eade.
”He will also have a direct role with the Aces and act as assistant coach to Paul for part of the season. Matt and Paul worked very well together at the end of last season and we are delighted to be able to utilise their complementary skills with the Aces.”
The change of coaching staff brings to an end Mark O’Donnell’s tenure as Aces coach.
“Mark has coached the team for seven years and throughout that period he has been a great servant to Auckland Cricket. The team has enjoyed considerable success under his leadership but his fixed term contract ended in June and in the view of the association it was time for a change.” said Eade. “We wish Mark well in his future coaching endeavours”.
