Former New Zealand Women’s head coach Bob Carter is set to step down from his position as New Zealand Cricket’s high-performance coach, bringing an end to a 21-year-long career in which he played a key role in the development of both the men’s and women’s teams.
“I feel like I’ve lived the dream,” Carter said in an NZC statement. “I’ve very much enjoyed offering support and contributing and, if that’s helped players or teams go on and achieve success, then that’s terrific – I’m delighted. But I think what’s worked best at NZC has been the combinations, the teamwork, and the cooperation.”
Born in Norfolk, Carter played 60 first-class and 55 List A matches for Northamptonshire and Canterbury before transitioning into coaching. He first joined the New Zealand men’s setup in 2004 as an assistant coach under John Bracewell, a role he held for five years. He returned to the men’s side again between 2012 and 2014, this time under head coach Mike Hesson.
In 2019, Carter was appointed head coach of the New Zealand Women’s team. He led the White Ferns through two major ICC events—the 2020 T20 World Cup and the 2022 ODI World Cup. Following the conclusion of the latter tournament, he stepped down as head coach but continued his work with NZC in a high-performance capacity based in Lincoln.
Reflecting on his coaching journey, Carter said: “We’ve been able to create sides that have been greater than the sum of their parts, and that’s a key ingredient in team sport.”
Now 65, Carter departs with both national teams in strong positions. He acknowledged the changes in the sport and praised the country’s cricketing infrastructure.
“It’s true that the game has evolved a great deal over the past 20 years,” he said, highlighting the strength of New Zealand’s domestic system and its role in nurturing both new and established talent.
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