IPL could dictate New Zealand's coach hunt

New Zealand's search for a new coach may be put on hold until after the third edition of the IPL, according to NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan. It is not the ideal situation for Vaughan and the NZC top brass as they begin the search for Andy Moles' successor but is one that they may have to hold out for in an attempt to secure the best man for the job.

"Without wanting to crystal ball gaze, if the perfect person was available only after the IPL, then we'd have to weigh that up," he told the New Zealand Herald.

The next IPL is scheduled to begin in the middle of March and will clash with New Zealand's two-Test home series against Australia that runs from March 19-31. "If we want to have our coach in place this summer I would find it very difficult to imagine how an IPL coach would manage that," said Vaughan. "With the World Cup in 2011 being the real pinnacle event, and not that far away, I'm loath to leave an appointment too late."

Several well-respected coaches in the cricketing world, such as Dav Whatmore, Ray Jennings, and Tom Moody, all have IPL contracts. As opposed to last year, when NZC ruled out candidates who had IPL contracts for the role of national coach, Vaughan said the hunt for a new search could be dictated by the candidates' IPL connections, irrespective of the delay in hiring.

"You've got to weigh it on balance. If that person is streets ahead of everyone else, then I think we'd have to think very seriously about it," he said. "If we find the right person I'll be moving heaven and earth to try and find a way we can afford that person."

Moles' resignation as New Zealand coach on Saturday, following reports that the senior players were unhappy with a lack of technical and tactical support being provided by him, has left NZC with a difficult task ahead of a busy schedule.