Ryan Cook has stepped down as head coach of the Netherlands men’s team with immediate effect, the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB) announced on June 25 (Thursday). Cook, who took charge of the side in 2022, has decided to take this step following the birth of his second child. For the upcoming ICC CWC League 2 matches, Heino Kuhn will take over the duties in an interim capacity.
KNCB CEO Huib van Walsem: “Ryan Cook has had an enormous impact on the entire system of Dutch cricket, building the depth of players, a strong team culture, coaching development and contributions to grassroots cricket. We are grateful for his wonderful efforts that have brought great results.”
New high for Netherlands under Cook
Under Cook, the Netherlands hosted West Indies, Pakistan and England as part of the Super League. They then qualified for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, where they came away with wins over South Africa and Zimbabwe and reached the Super 12s. As a result, they earned a direct qualification to the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.
The Dutch were excellent even in the 50-ovr format, making it to the 2023 World Cup at the back of impressive performances in the qualifiers, which included a win over the West Indies in a super over. At the World Cup, they won plenty of applause for their performances, which included wins over South Africa and Bangladesh.
“Ryan has been instrumental in the growth of this team and Dutch cricket as a whole over the past four years. His passion, professionalism and commitment to creating a strong culture have helped us achieve some memorable performances and set this team up for future success. On behalf of the players, I want to thank Ryan for everything he has done for us and wish him and his family all the very best for the future,” Netherlands captain Scott Edwards said.
Highlight of my career: Cook
Cook, whose father Jimmy and brother Stephen have represented South Africa, said that he would look back at his stint at the Netherlands with immense pride.
“Coaching the Dutch men’s team has, without a shadow of a doubt, been one of the highlights of my coaching career so far. It’s been an absolute pleasure to lead the journey towards professionalism and creating a competitive cricket team with strong values. I thank all at the KNCB and the Dutch cricket community for all their continued support throughout the years. The KNCB and the team deserve someone who can give the job the full, sustained focus and presence it now requires. I know that the foundations are strong and the future is bright,: he said after stepping down.The
Netherlands, who are third on the CWC League 2 table, next take on Nepal and Namibia in a tri-series at home, in less than a month.
For more news & updates, follow The Crichub on X and YouTube
