Wellington, 18 September (H.S.): New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has decided not to renew the contract of White Ferns head coach Ben Sawyer. Sawyer, who has been in charge of the team for four years, had a contract that was due to run until December 2026. However, following a comprehensive review of the women’s high-performance structure, NZC has decided to make changes.

According to New Zealand Cricket, the review identified the need for a new “Performance Lead” role for the women’s team. In addition, the position of team manager, held by Rachel Pettit, has been disestablished.

An interim head coach and team manager will take charge of the side for next month’s T20 International series against Australia. The recruitment process for the permanent head coach and Performance Lead positions will begin shortly. New Zealand’s squad for the Australian tour is expected to be announced in early October.

Sawyer took charge of the New Zealand women’s team in June 2022. During his tenure, the team won a bronze medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and, most notably, secured the historic 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title, New Zealand’s first in the tournament. Young players such as Georgia Plimmer, Eden Carson and Izzy Gaze also established themselves at the international level during Sawyer’s tenure and were part of the World Cup-winning squad.

Sawyer said in a statement released by New Zealand Cricket, “Being the WHITE FERNS coach has been a huge honour and I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to lead this group. This team means a lot to me and I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in the past four years. Although I’m disappointed to be leaving, I want to wish the team and NZC all the best.”

NZC Chief High Performance Cricket Officer Daryl Gibson praised Sawyer’s contribution, saying, “Ben’s overseen a period of considerable change and progression for the WHITE FERNS and we’re deeply appreciative of the commitment, professionalism and time he invested in the women’s game.”

Gibson added, “It was a difficult decision which was not made lightly, but it reflects our view that the next stage of the WHITE FERNS journey requires a different leadership approach to support the future direction of the programme.”

New Zealand captain Melie Kerr also reflected on Sawyer’s contribution, saying that his role was particularly important during the team’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. She said, “We’re hugely grateful for Ben and everything he’s put into this team. His preparation was second to none, he poured his heart and soul into the role and left no stone unturned trying to make the team better.”

Kerr added, “Ben played a huge part in a defining moment for women’s cricket in New Zealand. He showed a belief in us that helped propel the team to World Cup victory after a difficult few months, and that’s a testament to his character and leadership.”

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar