Bob Caryer, New Zealand Cricket's high-performance coach stepped away from his role
He served for long 21 years
Carter said it was time for a change and that he was looking forward
New Zealand Cricket’s long-serving high-performance coach Bob Carter is stepping away from his role after 21 years of committed service, NZC announced on Friday. A respected figure across both the men’s and women’s games, Carter leaves behind a legacy of dedication, development, and deep influence on some of the country’s finest cricketing talent.
Carter, who joined New Zealand Cricket (NZC) as assistant BlackCaps coach in 2004, will depart the organisation’s high-performance centre in Lincoln, having played a key part in shaping New Zealand’s cricketing evolution over two decades.
“The man who joined NZC as the assistant BlackCaps coach in 2004 is poised to depart the organisation’s high-performance centre in Lincoln some 21 years later,” NZC said in a statement, “having been heavily involved in the evolution of both the national men’s and women’s games.”
A former English county cricketer and director of cricket at Northamptonshire, Carter worked under John Bracewell from 2004 to 2009, then joined Mike Hesson’s coaching setup from 2012 to 2014. He later took charge of the White Ferns, guiding them into the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup on home soil.
Reflecting on his journey, Carter said it was time for a change and that he was looking forward to exploring new opportunities in cricket as an independent contractor.
“I feel like I’ve lived the dream,” Carter said. “I’ve very much enjoyed offering support and contributing and, if that’s helped players or teams go on and achieve success, then that’s terrific – I’m delighted.”
Yet for Carter, cricket success has never been solely about individual talent—it’s always been about unity.
“What’s worked best at NZC has been the combinations, the teamwork, and the cooperation. We’ve been able to create sides that have been greater than their sum of parts, and that’s a key ingredient in team sport,” he explained.“Sure, the individual performance is important, but it’s the collective that has the greater potential. That’s where the magic is.”
Carter said he was proud to be leaving NZC at a time when both the BlackCaps and White Ferns were in a strong position, and the high-performance systems were bearing fruit.
“It’s true that the game has evolved a great deal over the past twenty years. But the flipside is that the basics and fundamentals of batting and bowling have never really changed,” he said.
“Sure, the batters are playing shots we wouldn’t have dreamed of in the nineties, and the bowlers are producing options and change-ups with an incredible degree of difficulty. But within all that, the framework that allows the players to execute so successfully, is still the same as it was 50 years ago.”
NZC’s Chief High Performance Officer Daryl Gibson paid glowing tribute to Carter’s long and invaluable contribution.
“Bob has been the voice of experience at Lincoln and has been involved in much of the success we’ve seen in the men’s and women’s games over the past decade or more,” said Gibson.“He's part of a wider high-performance team that underpinned and supported one of New Zealand cricket's golden periods – the legacy he leaves in terms of his contribution to NZC is enormous.”
Gibson added that Carter remains a respected and cherished figure within the cricketing fraternity.
“Bob's a much-loved part of the cricket family and he carries massive respect wherever he goes. His mahi and passion for the game are undiminished and we wish him and his family well.”
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