The Irish cricket team has a new coach. With the resignation of Mike Hendrick, the ICU have appointed former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford who has played 56 Tests and 121 one-day internationals. Rutherford takes up his new position in the spring and will join the team in Zimbabwe for April's six nations tournament. His contract will run up to the ICC trophy in 2001 from which Ireland will be attempting to qualify for the 2003 World Cup.
Mike Hendrick was Ireland's first full-time national coach. He managed victories in the Triple Crown and European Cup. Under Hendrick's direction, Ireland came within one match of qualifying for the World Cup, in the ICC tournament in Kuala Lumpur in 1997. Hendrick held the position from 1995 until last September.
Rutherford will continue his career with Gauteng in South Africa until January 2001, although he will be making repeated visits to Ireland to check on the national squad's winter training. Until he takes up his appointment next April, Bobby Rao, the ICU's batting coach, will be looking after winter training.
