FORMER Scotland coach Andy Moles has confirmed a lack of support from New Zealand's players was behind his shock resignation less than a year into his tenure.
Moles, who was contracted until the 2011 one-day World Cup, resigned on Saturday following an internal review and only two days after New Zealand Cricket (NZC) affirmed his position amid speculation that unnamed senior players wanted him removed. Th
e 48-year-old also quit as Scotland coach in January 2006 after less than a year in the job following disagreements with senior players.
Moles was told he had lost the confidence of the players in a meeting with NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan, something he claims came as a complete surprise to him.
"That's the most disappointing thing," the Englishman told the New Zealand Herald. "We've been going 11 months but I had no inkling, no communication to say there was a problem. If I had got some feedback earlier, we may have been able to quell this problem." New Zealand were unexpected finalists at the Champions Trophy in South Africa this month, but have largely struggled under Moles's tenure, slumping to Test series defeats to Sri Lanka away and India at home this year.
Moles dismissed suggestions that his techniques or tactics had been questioned, and said that it was a problem of "chemistry" between himself and some of his players. I'll take it on the chin and admit I haven't got that right," he said.
A former English county batsman, Moles succeeded John Bracewell last November after coaching provincial side Northern Districts for two seasons. New Zealand have not named a replacement and will head to the United Arab Emirates for a limited-overs series against Pakistan next month without a head coach.
Captain Daniel Vettori, named by local media as one of the disaffected players, said players were not responsible for forcing Moles out the door. "I don't think players have that much power. They have the ability to give an opinion but in the end it's an organisational decision that has come from a number of areas," he said.
• Australia's bowlers held their nerve in a tight finish to edge a four-run victory over India in the first one-day international in Vadodara.
Ricky Ponting (74), Tim Paine (50), Cameron White (51) and Michael Hussey – with a fluent 73 off just 54 deliveries – helped Australia post 292-8.
Gautam Gambhir responded with a 68, with Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar putting on 83 for the seventh wicket to bring India within range of what had looked a highly unlikely victory – but Australia's bowlers eventually prevailed as the hosts fell just short on 288-8.
