New Zealand appoint Andre Adams as bowling coach ahead of T20I series against Pakistan

WELLINGTON: New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Wednesday appointed former all-rounder Andre Adams as the bowling coach of the men's national team for their upcoming five-match T20I home series against Pakistan.

The 48-year-old will join head coach Gary Stead's group, which also consists of former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Luke Ronchi as batting coach. Adams will work with the Blackcaps team on Wednesday in Auckland.

New Zealand's Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Donaldson and Team Performance Manager Simon Insley will be on a break during the series against Pakistan.

Their roles will be filled by Cricket Wellington's Head of Athlete Development, Matt Long, and Central Districts High Performance Manager, Dave Meiring, respectively.

Adams's previous stints saw him assume the role of fast bowling coach of the New Zealand women's team on their limited-overs tour of South Africa in September-October 2023.

His arrival will temporarily fill the space that was left open by Shane Jurgensen. The former Australian cricketer stepped down from his role as New Zealand bowling coach after the conclusion of the 2023 ODI World Cup.

During his playing days, Adams featured in a sole Test, 42 ODIs and four T20Is for New Zealand. His career spanned over five years.

He also enjoyed his time in England's county cricket with Nottinghamshire, Hampshire and Essex, before announcing his retirement in 2015.

New Zealand will play the first game of the five-match T20I series against Pakistan on January 12 in Auckland. The series will allow the Kiwis to find the right combination as they gear up for the T20 World Cup, which is slated to begin in June this year.

Both teams will then travel to Hamilton and Dunedin for the second and third games before moving to Christchurch for the final two T20Is.