North City Cricket Club - Senior coaching team

Craig Shanks

Senior Club Coach

Craig is a North City legend. The bowling all-rounder developed a reputation as a phemonial competitor who's swashbuckling counter-attack style with the bat was well regarded across Wellington, and he's now our Premier Squad coach.

Craig will lead the coaching of the senior club throughout the season whilst working closely with our Specialist Technical Coach, our Women’s Coach and the Club Captain. Craig will develop and implement a planned pre-season programme that sets the tone for the coming season. Craig will continue to build on the great culture that has been developed in the past 12 months. Craig will set game plans, strategies and build individual plans for players to work too.

Hamish Bennett

Specialist Technical Coach

Hamish Bennett has been contracted to provide specialist technical training to the Premier team players to increase their skills to a level where we can achieve improved success in Premier Club Cricket. Working alongside the Senior Club Coach they will develop and implement a planned pre-season programme that sets the tone for the coming season. Based on an inclusive environment and encourage professionalism, technical skills development and fun, for premier players and selected squad members. This training will start at the end of July and run through to the beginning of the season. Hamish will additionally work with the Senior Club Coach to deliver pre-season training for all senior club players from the beginning of September through until the beginning of the season after Labour weekend.

Once the season has kicked off, Hamish will take a reduced hands-on coaching role and will provide mentoring to Premier Club Players.

Coaching Assistants

Craig and Hamish will be assisted by Sam Fairley, Jonathan Millmow and Stu Veitch.

Sam is the club's leading run scorer and will work with the batters. With 16 first-class games for the Wellington Firebirds and 7,000 North City runs under his belt, Sam has a vast amount of experience to pass on to our top and middle order and will be an invaluable asset for the 2021/2022 campaign.

Jonathon has the honour of playing five ODIs for New Zealand, has a career best of 6-13 and 99 first class wickets to compliment his 35 List A scalps. He will be assisting the bowlers during preseason and, when other committments allow it, during the season.

Stu is the team's resident strength and conditioning coach and leg-spinner. He will combine both duties to ensure the Premier squad is fit enough to compete for honours in all three formats while sending down some leggies of his own.

We welcome the trio to the club, and are incredibly proud that we can bank on such knowledge, skill and love for the game as Sam, Jonathon and Stu demostrate on a daily basis.