Former Zimbabwe national team leg spinner Paul Strang has announced that he will step down as the coach of Auckland a New Zealand domestic side at the end of the season. He had been in charge of the team for four-years.
Strang, says he had been contemplating his future as a coach from the start of the ongoing season, cited the need for a new approach for the team as a reason for his decision. "The team has moved forward quite a bit in four years and now is really a good opportunity to get a new voice and new way of doing things," he said.
Strang also says he is yet to see what he will do next but was quick to say he would keep his options open."I cant say much to you at the moment, l am still thinking about this but l want to do stuff with in or even outside of cricket, who knows?' he said in a short interview with OFF THE CREASE.
"I cant talk about Zimbabwe at the moment am still in the processes of sorting out a few things in my life. But it would an interesting challenge to come back home and coach the country" he added.
If the development had come a few weeks ago it would have presented the Zimbabwe Cricket with yet another option of a genuinely great individual to lead the country.
After working as the coach of Auckland A, Strang was appointed the coach of Auckland in February 2009. He has led his team to two domestic Twenty20 titles, and one one-day title. Strang will be Auckland's assistant coach for the upcoming Ford Trophy, the domestic 50-overs competition, for which former New Zealand opener Matt Horne will assume his new position as the coach.
Strang is one of the former cricketers that had a brilliant work ethic on and off the field, this proven by his success in New Zealand. l remember him as a fine allrounder, combining top-class legspin, as for his batting l cant say much save for that he was a useful lower order batter, and quite a brilliant fielder.
Strang was one of the best fielders in an outstanding fielding side, often seen in the covers or backward point area. He was at his best as a batsman when the pressure was on and runs were needed urgently, as he proved while scoring his only Test century , against Pakistan at Sheikhapura in 1996-97 .
HOWEVER, his greatest qualities are his fighting spirit and his unselfish approach to life in general. His match double of a century and five wickets in a Test innings was a major career highlight, and he took great pleasure in his 87-run partnership with his brother Bryan. Strang's figures of 8 for 109 against New Zealand at Bulawayo in 2000-01 were at the time the best ever recorded for Zimbabwe in Test cricket, but his international career was cut short by a chronic muscular injury in his bowling hand.
After that he immidiatley moved and spent two seasons in England, playing for Kent and Nottinghamshire, gaining much valuable experience, and latterly moved to New Zealand where he was engaged to Auckland.
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