Stuart takes over as Wellington coach

The former Australia fast bowler Anthony Stuart has been appointed coach of Wellington for the next three years. Stuart begins his stint with the New Zealand state side in September and will replace Vaughan Johnson.

Stuart, who played three one-day internationals for Australia in 1996-97, shot to fame instantly with a hat-trick against Pakistan at the MCG, which was only the second by an Australian bowler. However, he sustained an ankle injury shortly after the game and never played for Australia again. After retiring, he worked for New South Wales Cricket as an administrator, including a stint as a junior development officer, and became the state's fast bowling coach. He was also in charge of the Sydney club University when they won the first-grade premiership in 2004-05.

His latest appointment was announced by Ervin McSweeney, the Wellington chief executive and former New Zealand wicketkeeper, who said Stuart was their first-choice replacement for Johnson. Stuart was upbeat about his new assignment. "I'm really excited about the opportunity," Stuart told the Dominion Post.

"It was always going to be hard to get a state coaching position straight away over here because there are only six sides. So to head to a place where there is a similar type of people, similar lifestyle and where they approach their cricket much the same is a great result. I'm looking forward to the challenge. I'm not going to arrive huffing and puffing, but there will probably be times when I'm going to have to put my foot down."