John Wright likely to be offered NZ cricket job

Christchurch, June 8 (UNI) Former Team India coach John Wright, who recently declined a lucrative Cricket Australia job, could be offered an important position in New Zealand Cricket (NZC) establishment.

Newly appointed NZC Chief Executive Justin Vaughan is keen on Wright's involvement in New Zealand cricket in some capacity and he has already spoken to him, according to a report in ''The Press.'' ''He is obviously a very talented guy, very knowledgeable and we'd love to have him. He's extraordinary.

''To be able to have managed the Indian team with their huge egos and drive performance in that environment was remarkable,'' Vaughan said.

Vaughan, though, did not reveal the kind of job Wright would be offered but said he was delighted on the former Kiwi opener's turning down of Cricket Australia offer to head its centre of excellence at Brisbane.

''That's good news isn't it. I haven't had the chance to meet with him properly yet. Hopefully within the next few weeks we can see what his thoughts are.

''But I need to get a more organisational-wide view of what areas John might be able to input into and then have a discussion.

''He might be ready now to do something in New Zealand, when he wasn't before,'' Vaughan said of Wright who guided India from 2000 to 2005.

After years of remaining away from home for various assignments in other countries, Wright is now back in New Zealand and he had said recently he would want to spend time with his family now.

While turning down the CA job citing his desire to be with his family, Wright did not rule out a possible call up to coach New Zealand team.

''Who knows? I wouldn't rule anything out,'' he was qouted as saying by NZPA.

Current coach John Bracewell's contract runs upto next month and is up for review.

''There is a board meeting in about 10 days where I want to talk to the board about the process. We will then have about six weeks until John is off contract and it would be great if we could run that process until then to give us some certainty,'' Vaughan said, without revealing anything on who could be next Black Caps coach.

UNI