Auckland Cricket is pleased to announce two key additions to its high-performance team, with former ACES and Blackcaps fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan appointed full-time Assistant Coach for the Auckland ACES, and former Auckland captain and Blackcaps batter Richard Jones named as ACES Independent Selector.

McClenaghan joins the ACES coaching group on a full-time basis following a successful stint last season as the Plunket Shield format coach. He will work alongside Head Coach Rob Nicol, focusing particularly on developing the ACES' talented bowling unit. While committing full-time to Auckland Cricket, McClenaghan will retain the flexibility to fulfil existing coaching opportunities overseas — including with teams in Major League Cricket (June), The Hundred (August), and SA20 (January) — remaining remotely available to ACA throughout the year.

“I'm extremely excited to link back up with Auckland Cricket, the players and Head Coach Rob Nicol for the upcoming season,” said McClenaghan. “The talent we have in this group currently is phenomenal, and there are some genuine world-class players in the making. I can't wait to help these young men push for higher honours and equip them with the skills they need to succeed at the top level.”

Evan Jones, ACA's General Manager – Performance & Talent, emphasised the importance of providing flexibility to attract top coaching talent in today’s evolving cricket landscape. “In the ever-changing global cricketing environment, it's vital we remain open-minded about how we structure coaching roles. We’re thrilled to have a coach of Mitch’s calibre expanding his role with us. He brings immense bowling acumen, and we’re excited to see where he can take our bowling group.”

ACA will also begin a separate appointment process for a stand-alone Assistant Coach role for the Super Smash competition.

In a further move to strengthen its cricket operations, ACA has appointed Richard Jones as ACES Independent Selector, re-establishing a key role last held by Kerry Walmsley in 2020. Jones, who was part of that previous set-up as a scout, steps into the selector position after a successful interim period at the back end of last season.

Jones brings extensive experience as a former ACES and Blackcaps batter, and will support selection processes across formats while remaining independent of the coaching group.

“We are pleased to be re-establishing the Independent Selector role,” said Evan Jones. “Richard’s cricketing mind is a huge asset for our coaching staff and playing group to tap into through the season.”

These appointments underscore Auckland Cricket’s continued commitment to high performance, while creating pathways for current and future ACES to thrive both domestically and on the international stage.

Article added: Wednesday 21 May 2025