Image Credit- ICC
The Paarl Royals have selected former New Zealand fast
bowler Shane Bond as their head coach for the 2018 SA20 league. He fills the
void left by JP Duminy, who transitioned between seasons to become the men’s
team’s permanent batting coach for South Africa.
Bond has coached a number of teams in the past; most
recently, he was the ILT20 head coach of MI Emirates and the IPL fast-bowling
coach of Mumbai Indians, where he won four titles from 2015 to 2020. Bond
joined the Royals Sports Group last month, leaving his positions in the ILT20
and the IPL. In October 2023, Bond was announced as the new assistant coach and
fast-bowling coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. The latest announcement
by the Paarl Royals strengthens Bond’s role with the group that owns both
teams, apart from the Barbados Royals in the CPL.
Prior to this, Bond served as the bowling coach for
New Zealand from 2012 to 2015 and as the head coach of Sydney Thunder in the
Big Basin League (BBL) from 2018 to 2021. As their bowling consultant, he has
also been a member of the England squad.
“It is a new challenge for me personally to be
heading to the SA20, but what gives me the belief is the strong squad we have
been able to assemble for the upcoming season,” Bond said in a press
release. “We have so much experience and immense potential in our ranks,
which makes me excited to join the group in January and work towards achieving
our target of lifting the trophy.”
Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said of
Bond: “The inaugural season provided us with a lot of learnings after our
semi-final finish, and we believe that his experience, commitment and vision
align well with our goals for the upcoming season.”