New Zealand Disappointed as Allan Donald Withdraws as Bowling Coach

Allan Donald is rumoured to be jumping back into South African cricket. That is the plausible explanation and unconfirmed report even as New Zealand cricket rue the loss of their bowling coach. Allan Donald, also known as White Lightning during his playing days for South Africa, has been actively looking at bowling coach opportunities that have led him to England and recently to New Zealand prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Even as Donald was approached with a similar role for Australia following the premier one day cricket competition, Australia eventually narrowed their options to former Australian fast bowler, Craig McDermott, with Donald going back to renegotiate with New Zealand cricket. Donald also missed an opportunity to work with India and Gary Kirsten, who was the then Indian coach, with the Indian bowling coach assignment going to Eric Simons who will continue his work with India's new coach, Duncan Fletcher who incidentally was a consultant for New Zealand at the same time as Allan Donald was working with New Zealand's fast bowlers.

Allan Donald as bowling coach

Under Donald, New Zealand fast bowlers felt they had found someone who could raise their confidence and the level of their game. In that light, neither Donald nor the New Zealand cricket board seemed opposed to the idea of renewing the relationship of Donald being the bowling coach. Donald has been a huge impetus for South Africa as a cricketer and New Zealand were perhaps beginning to see why. In that context, the deal seemed almost inked in concrete with a few matters to nail.

However, there has been speculation that Donald may be heading home, plausibly in the role of an assistant coach or as South Africa’s bowling coach. Those rumours, however, took a firmer turn with Cricket South Africa apparently holding back on the announcement but Donald confirming it as much by conveying his belated intentions to New Zealand cricket. And it was the manner of the press release that suggested that indeed those unconfirmed reports are only a matter of time before they become reality.

The Southern Hemisphere is supposed to experience winter. However, Donald’s name has been heating up cricket circles in the three major cricket nations – New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. And the fiery fast bowler is set to head home for a cricket assignment. And it was only natural that New Zealand rued missing the opportunity to signing on the dotted line before Donald had more offers to consider. As it appears, Cricket South Africa have pulled off a coup right under the nose of New Zealand.

It would be a homecoming of sorts when Cricket South Africa will confirm Gary Kirsten as the South African coach and Allan Donald as South Africa’s bowling coach, a combination that reportedly has the blessing of several reputed South African cricketers including the former South African captain, Kepler Wessels. If South Africa are able to shape up the team that has the likes of Morne Morkel, who has been branded as the next Allan Donald with Donald himself having high praise for the lanky fast bowler, and Dale Steyn, not to mention the talent of Lonwabo Tsotsobe, interesting times lie ahead for Donald and South Africa.