Taranaki senior coaches named for 2023-24 campaigns

The head coaches teams of the Taranaki men’s and women’s senior representative teams have been announced, with a settled approach taken to maintain momentum this summer.

Chris Coombe will keep hold of the reins of the Good Home Taranaki men’s side, after third placed finishes in both the Furlong Cup and Chapple Cup tournaments in 2023. He will continue working with assistant coach Gary Cunningham.
Doug Proffitt is set to get his first full season in control of the Bartercard Taranaki women. Proffit took over from the departing Debu Banik in December last year, and with two late wins guided the side to a second consecutive runners-up finish in the Mike Shrimpton Trophy.

The men’s side kicks off its Furlong Cup campaign in late-October, while the women are underway from early November.
Taranaki Cricket Association General Manager Ryan Evans said he and the TCA board had conducted a thorough review of the teams’ 2022-23 campaigns at the conclusion of last summer and were confident the coaching mix was right to keep building on the work done last year.
“If you take a look at the Furlong Cup, our men’s team were right in the hunt going into the final day’s play of the competition and while we ultimately came unstuck we saw big strides in what the team were doing last year.

“Chris and Gary did a great job creating a positive environment and foundations to set us up in years to come,” Evans said.
“With the women, Doug had some big shoes to fill when Debs left for Northern Districts and by the end of the season we felt he had started to find his feet.
“We felt he deserved a chance to have a full season with a team likely to feature a number of promising up and coming players and see how he can get them going.”
Coombe said he was very excited at the chance to again work with his team and to hopefully end up a couple of places higher in the finishing orders this season.
“We’ve got a great group of guys and an awesome camaraderie in the team,” Coombe said.
“We’re already working hard to make sure we’re in good shape for the season to come and I can’t wait for October to put what we’re working on out on the field.
“With each game last year, we witnessed gradual emergence of their grit and character, a testament to their determination.
“As we gear up for the next season, we’re eagerly anticipating the chance to represent Taranaki with the same pride that defines us.”
Proffit said he was pleased and proud to have been given the opportunity to have a full season in charge of the women’s team.
“There was definitely a bit of disruption last season with the changes to the coaching staff,” he said.
“We definitely went through a couple of hiccups on the field as a team but I thought that at the end we knuckled down and on our trip to Nelson showed what we were really capable of as a side.
“I’m a proud Taranaki man and very proud to be given this opportunity again.”

Any final appointments to the management teams will be confirmed in the coming months.