Thumbs up for Trist (14 July 1999)

14 July 1999

Thumbs up for Trist

The Christchurch Press

Former New Zealand cricket captain Lee Germon does not think new national coach David Trist will be exposed by a lack of batting expertise when he begins the job in September.

Globetrotter David Trist, finally in charge of his home country.

Trist was yesterday appointed for a two-year term, along with former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe as the Black Caps' new management team. Crowe was named manager.

Germon said if a gap could be pinpointed in Trist's cricketing knowledge it could be with batting, but he thinks the former Canterbury medium-fast bowler from the 1970s will be fine.

"Most of the country knows that Craig McMillan and Nathan Astle aren't moving their feet well and it doesn't take a genius to suss those things out," he said.

"Most problems are pretty visible."

Germon said that Trist, as a bowler, was constantly probing for batsmen's weaknesses, so his batting coaching skills should be covered.

Germon said he imagined Trist would use the experience of former top-order batsman Crowe to help out with the coaching.

"It looks like they should have a nice balance there," he said.

"When Glenn Turner was appointed there was a worry that he wouldn't have been able to help the bowlers as much, but one person probably can't be all things." Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming said he was consulted on the new management.

"I know Tristy pretty well from my Canterbury days and I know Jeff Crowe pretty well too. I am looking forward to working with them.

"This is the next step. We have obviously laid a lot of ground rules and foundations with this group (of players) and it's a job really to enhance those."

Trist and Crowe will have at least five weeks to help Fleming put structures and systems in place before New Zealand begins its tour of India in October.

Germon did not think it was a drawback that Trist had not represented New Zealand as a fully fledged international at test or one-day international level.

"You don't have to have been a top line player to be a good coach, ask the likes of John Hart (All Blacks coach) or Frank Endacott (Kiwis coach)."

Germon, who was unceremoniously dumped in mid-series during incumbent Steve Rixon's first term, endorsed Trist's selection. "David will bring a lot of good points to the position," said Germon, who had several seasons working with Trist when he coached Canterbury in the early 1990s.

"He has a lot of energy, is very professional and pretty well-organised. He's a good communicator and a pretty inspirational, and motivational figure."

Germon said Trist would know the majority of the players quite well, having been associated with Canterbury when Astle, Fleming, Chris Cairns, and Chris Harris were on the rise. Last season he coached Auckland, which had Dion Nash and Adam Parore in its ranks.

Germon remembers Trist hated losing. "We'd (Canterbury) been through a pretty bad trot for a while and the thing he developed with us was stopping the losing way we had.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve but he's a realist and you know pretty much where you stand."

Although from Canterbury, Germon believed Trist would not have a red and black bias when it came to picking players.

"He's been away from here for a while now which should have worn the eye-patch off and I think he is a person of integrity."

Crowe, 41, played the last of his 39 tests in 1990.

He runs his own management and event company and is the owner and director of a golfing holiday company.

Earlier this year he was appointed to the board of New Zealand Tennis.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)