LCCC announce new coaching structure

Leicestershire CCC has today announced a new coaching structure led by Elite Performance Director Andrew McDonald.

Keith Piper will take on the role of Elite Development Coach, Pierre de Bruyn is the new Second XI and Assistant Skills Coach while Nic Pothas has been named as Leicestershire CCC’s Academy Director. Charlie Shreck has also been given additional responsibilities as Bowling Development Coach alongside his playing commitments for the club.

Leicester-born wicket-keeper Piper has been working alongside Leicestershire’s coaching staff since the start of July 2015. Piper spent 16 years at Warwickshire as a player and was part of their brilliant treble winning side of 1994. He made a career best 116* when Brian Lara was compiling his world record 501 not out against Durham at Edgbaston.

Piper scored 4,618 first-class runs and was a tremendous gloveman, taking 504 catches and 36 stumpings in first-class cricket. He claimed more than 800 dismissals for the county in both formats given he also snapped up 251 List A catches and 53 stumpings.

After retiring from playing, Piper developed coaching experience with Warwickshire as Second XI Coach. The 45-year-old has also been involved in coaching England’s emerging wicket-keepers as well as offering support to the national sides of New Zealand and Pakistan.

de Bruyn was an all-rounder who had a 16-year career in the professional game. He scored 4,637 first-class runs at a healthy average of 37.09 and also took 108 wickets at 29.63. de Bruyn also had a fine List A and T20 record and represented South Africa in the Hong Kong Sixes.

The 38-year-old has most recently worked as Head Coach and Technical Director with TuksCricket, the team that represents the University of Pretoria. The university has close links to Titans in South Africa, a franchise that has AB de Villiers, Francois du Plessis and the Morkel brothers on their roster.

de Bruyn’s achievements at TuksCricket has seen six domestic titles won since the start of the 2010-11 season and the team recently represented South Africa again to defend their Red Bull Campus Cricket T20 title in India.

Currently on the ECB Level 4 programme, Pothas had a 19-year professional playing career including a successful nine-year playing period for Hampshire CCC. The wicket-keeper/batsman made appearances for the South Africa National Team and his career record included 11,438 first-class runs at a tremendous average of 40.85 as well as 659 victims behind the stumps.

Upon retiring from playing, Pothas took up a role with the Guernsey Cricket Board, where he became the Channel Islands’ first Director of Cricket and first full-time cricket specific coach.

The 41-year-old has also worked as wicket-keeping and batting coach with Sussex CCC at First XI, Second XI and Academy level and has experience with the Elite International Cricket Academy, which was based at Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl.

Shreck will take on a dual role at Leicestershire County Cricket Club during the 2016 season. The 37-year-old has been given additional responsibilities as Bowling Development Coach alongside his playing commitments at Grace Road.

The opportunity will allow Shreck to accelerate his learning in the coaching of first-class cricketers while still being a key member of the playing staff. Shreck will be assisting in the delivery of the winter programme along with key in-season responsibilities.

Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Chief Executive Wasim Khan MBE said: “We are delighted to be bringing in three high-quality people to be working alongside Elite Performance Director Andrew McDonald as part of our new coaching structure at Leicestershire County Cricket Club.

“Keith Piper, Pierre de Bruyn and Nic Pothas all shone through in the interview process and will bring a variety of key attributes to their positions. It is also great that Charlie has accepted some additional responsibilities as Bowling Development Coach as he had a big influence on our attack last season alongside Clint McKay.

“We have made some big additions to the playing squad over the last few weeks and it’s fantastic that we have now finalised our coaching restructure. Everything is taking shape nicely as we look towards the 2016 season.”