New Zealand Cricket Coach John Wright to Step Down in August

New Zealand cricket coach John Wright will step down following the team’s tour of the West Indies after turning down a contract extension.

Wright, a former opening batsman and captain of the national team, took over as coach in December 2010 and led the team to semifinals of the Cricket World Cup the following year.

“I appreciate the offer to extend my contract, but after much consideration I feel it’s the right time to move on and look at other opportunities,” Wright said in an e-mailed statement from New Zealand Cricket.

New Zealand faces the West Indies in two Twenty20 internationals in Lauderhill, Florida, on June 30 and July 1 before taking on the Caribbean team in five one-day games and a two-match Test series finishing Aug. 2.

New Zealand Cricket will “take the time to find the right candidate who can take us through to the 2015 Cricket World Cup,” chief executive officer David White said.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Dan Baynes at dbaynes@bloomberg.net