Ben Sawyer has been named as the new head coach of the New Zealand women’s cricket team. New Zealand Cricket Board announced that the Australian cricket coach will play the head coach role of White Ferns for a contract period of 2 years.
New Zealand women’s cricket team Head Coach
Earlier, Ben Sawyer worked as the head coach of Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League. Under his supervision, Sydney Sixers won WBBL trophies in 2016–17 and 2017–18 seasons. And also Sydney Sixers ended up as runner-up in the 2015–16 and 2018–19 WBBL seasons under his leadership.
“I can’t wait to get stuck in,” Sawyer said. “I see a lot of potential in this White Ferns group and I feel really optimistic about helping to untap that potential, so they can take their cricket to the next level.
It’s certainly going to be a learning process as I get to know the players and they get to know me, and my cricket philosophies and coaching style.
“If you get the players making a priority of the processes and concentrating on the preparation and routines that improve and develop performance, then the outcomes tend to look after themselves. That’s where consistency of performance comes from, and that’s what we’re seeking,” he added.
Sophie Devine on Ben Sawyer’s New Role
New Zealand captain Sophie Devine welcomed their new head coach Sawyer and believes that change in the coaching department will bring fresh ideology into their camp.
“We’re really looking forward to working with Ben and receiving the benefit of his experience,” she said.
“He’s been a key figure in the ongoing success of the Australian women’s team and we hope we can tap into that bank of experience and grow together as a team.
The upcoming Commonwealth Games campaign in Birmingham and the tour to West Indies will be really helpful in that regard – there’s nothing like away tours for bringing a group together and sharing a common purpose.”
During his tenure as an assistant coach, Australia have won two ICC Women’s T20 World Cups and a Women’s Ashes series in England. It is worth mentioning that, Ben Sawyer has the highest win percentage of any women’s Twenty20 coach.
Notably, Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry credited Sawyer as an important figure in helping Australia win the 2019 Women’s Ashes.
