Black Caps call in high-performance guru

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EXCLUSIVE: New Zealand Cricket has been calling on the services of former Black Sox coach-turned high-performance guru with Sparc, Don Tricker, in a bid to lift their performance.

Tricker, who also works with the New Zealand Rugby Union, Bike NZ, Swimming New Zealand and Netball New Zealand, is considered an expert on high performance in sport.

He prefers to stay out of the limelight and didn't wish to comment on this story but a Sparc spokesman yesterday outlined Tricker's specialties.

"Don works with key sports and ultimately provides those sports with recommendations," the spokesman said. "He looks at the high-performance environment of a team or sport, the systems, structures and the way the players are prepared.

"The first question he asks is: what do these athletes want? He looks to challenge the traditional model for sports. He examines a sport to see whether what it's doing will produce the desired results.

"His job is to observe and then he will ultimately make a recommendation to NZC."

NZC boss Justin Vaughan said his organisation had used Tricker in the past and on this occasion he was being asked to provide an independent assessment of the Black Caps environment.

"Don's had an association with cricket for some time, certainly since the last World Cup in 2007," Vaughan told Sunday News. "On and off, he pops in to see the unit to check on how they are going and to provide an independent view.

"He's also been helping to work and develop our coaching staff.

"I know he's spent some time with [coach] Mark Greatbatch and the other Black Caps coaches in terms of trying to develop them and figure out plans for their development.

"It's a service that Sparc and Don offer, which is great.

"I know the NZRU has used Don in the past and we appreciate the fact he can pass on his expert knowledge and hopefully cricket will benefit from it."

Vaughan said Tricker had not yet submitted a list of recommendations.

"There isn't really anything specific we are after from him at this point in time," he said.

"It's more about having him work within the unit and give his thoughts and ask questions as an outsider looking in.

"We are hoping he might be able to stimulate some thinking within the Black Caps unit that might be able to help them lift their performance."

Meanwhile, Vaughan has done little to clear up what exactly Greatbatch's role is with the national side.

To many, he's regarded as the national coach while other sources close to the team say he's actually just the batting coach.

When asked to shed some light on the matter, Vaughan said: "He's the coach but he's not the head coach in regards that the sports staff report through to him. He reports to Geoff Allott as general manager of cricket, as do a number of the other support staff. He isn't the traditional head coach. But he's more than the batting coach."

- © Fairfax NZ News