How deep do the Black Caps' coaching problems run?

To be honest I think it is a bit rough, yes the timing wasn't good and had we not performed so badly in Australia (maybe won the dead rubber) and then won the three 20/20s that we really should have won, I don't think it would have been met with such outrage. To clarify Nic's comment the Australian PM actually did actually go on the holiday but cut it short. Yet the outrage that he faced is almost on par with what Stead which seems over the top. Hesson left his role because he was away so long from his family for such long periods. Had we given him more breaks, would he still be our coach? Who knows, but I can see what NZ cricket is doing and I think it's a way to be innovative in the modern world where mental health is such so important. I think NZ will benefit from a refresh Stead when he comes back from holiday because by the end of the T20s he definitely look like he needed one!

I think that outcry was due to how unprepared the squad was for the Australian Series and now the Coach had a prepared break in the middle of the home summer. It's like a rugby coach taking a break in Winter. It would have made more sense to take a break after the WC. Anyway it goes along with the theme that this coaching team are not setting the team up for success with poor selection, lack of confidence and tactics.

The break thing is a bit of a beat up really mate. Pre-planned. The other coaches have had their's and it has been reported Stead tried to re-arrange it but was refused. Coney is right regarding the eventual timing but I think he and Waddle aren't big Stead Fans and some of the bleat related directly to the poor performances in Australia. The reality is that we saw the Blacks Caps go down meekly, apart from Wagner and Blundell, in Australia, and that has not only dented their confidence but also called into question technical and selection issues that merit analysis and erudite resolution as we move forward. That Stead's tenure is already in question is a given but equally his assistants merit consideration as both disciplines, especially batting were just poor. There are those that will point to previous success enjoyed by Stead and co but you have to ask how much of that pays back to the previous coaching regime and the standards templated by them. Once the season ends the coaching team and selection panel need a comprehensive review. Despite these set-backs this remains the best Black Cap team since the halcyon 80s and there are some good players knocking on the door. It would be a shame for that to be wasted because NZ Cricket cannot afford to invest in coaching excellence...

I'm a Kiwi but Blackcaps are a non entity to me until 4 years time, or 40 years time ---- whenever Australia deem us worthy playing again ----- and we put up a 10,000% better effort than that woeful three test tour I just witnessed. That cut deep for me that performance - totally and utterly unacceptable.

All very well, but that form was well and truly gone by the 3rd Test, when it was solely about playing for pride.

Last time I checked he hadn't taken a 5 for on a first class match let alone a test. That's what quality spinners do in the second innings and as dB says above it's very hard to bowl spin in Australia. He's a part timer at best if his batting could hold a place in the top six but it isn't up to it.

Spot on, he seemed the most likely to miss than Southee. Seemed they were seduced by the belief you HAVTA have a spinner in Sydney, but many shot duck spinners have wasted selection there and Santner was a shot duck by then. A class bowler like Southee didn't even seem a brave selection, a wicket with character stays that for any class bowler. It's akin to dropping Starc for the final Ashes Test, bewildering.

Actually, I thought Somerville bowled pretty well. He's got a good style for our conditions. He stands nice and tall, bowls right arm over right ear and gets a nice amount of overspin which is what you have to do here. There's not much sideways spin on offer but there is a good amount of bounce and he made great use of that. It's basically what Lyon does and he's taken more wickets in Aus than any other spinner except the incomparable Warne.

"The fans and public expect the coach to be in position for all matches except in perhaps of exceptional circumstances. If Stead wanted to take leave, take it when no games were scheduled. Firstly, to book it during a series and then to take it after the team was on such a terrible losing streak is just inexcusable." hi Morgan, I think there are a few different issues you've brought out in your article that IMO are not related. The first issue is how the Black Caps went on their Australian tour and how they've subsequently gone against India. I've no idea how Stead fits into the Kiwi selection process, but if he's got as much power as Langer does, then he certainly has some questions to answer, based on some questionable selections in that Test series. That however, should be an article all by itself. The second issue is the question of Stead taking time off. I read a piece from the head of New Zealand cricket (see below), who mentioned how far ahead this break had been planned and how unconcerned he was about it, given the obvious health benefits to Stead. I also note there's been little or no reaction from the players, so I assume they're good with him taking a break. Langer also had a break when the ODI team went to India and that barely rated a mention in Australia, even though we lost that series too. Would you have protested so vociferously, if the Black Caps had beaten India? I also think Coney's being a little holier than thou. I can think of a few Test captains including G Chappell & Kohli who have missed Tests or short series, to have a break. If it's good enough for them, why isn't it good enough for Stead? https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12306352

Look, I'm not defending Santner because in the Aussie series he looked like he couldn't turn a corner but they picked him because he scored 126 & got the first 3 pommie wickets in the second innings of the first test win. That's selecting on form.

I haven't seen any of the India games so can't really comment on that but there were some 'interesting' selection/coaching decisions in the test series over here in Aus. You mentioned the Southee affair (baffling) and Jeet Raval but for me the strangest one was the continued selection of Mitch Santner. It wasn't just that he struggled to get wickets, the biggest problem I could see was that he was leaking runs and immediately releasing any pressure the likes of Wagner was able to create at the other end. Far better spinners than Santner have struggled to make an impact in Australia so there's no shame in it but I feel it's a very borderline decision to keep playing him in those circumstances. The really smart move would be to forego the spinner altogether and just stick with the quicker bowlers but no visiting team ever seems to do that. I thought that you Kiwi's might have the smarts and courage to make such a move but it wasn't to be. Obviously it wasn't all Santners fault that you lost the series but the stubbornness in sticking with him certainly didn't help the cause.

Even that idiot Aussie PM cancelled his holiday during the bush fires, so my previously high opinion of Gary Stead is going up in smoke. Time for Kane to be player/ coach, he doesn’t have enough on his plate just yet. Maybe Wagner could coach some of our batsman how to have a large ticker :boxing: