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Former Auckland cricketer Hamish Barton has been appointed coach of the New Zealand Women's side. Barton will replace Warren Lees whose term as interim coach ended on April 30. Lees had taken over as coach in January this year, following the resignation of Katrina Keenan.
Barton, who had been an assistant coach of the side in 2012, was New Zealand Cricket's coach development manager between 2009 to 2013, and had also played for and coached the Argentina team between 2005 and 2009.
Barton will continue in his role as high-performance manager with a netball franchise while fulfilling his commitments in a part-time role with the New Zealand Women's team. His first assignment will be the team's tour to West Indies in September.
"Globally, the women's game is evolving quickly now; it's very competitive with many countries contracting all their national players full time," Barton said. "There's no doubt we have to keep progressing to retain our position at the forefront of international cricket - and that will be a priority over the next year.
"It's the shop window for the women's game here. The better the performance of the White Ferns, the more appealing the game is for the bright young athletes considering cricket as their future."
Barton played 17 first-class matches for Auckland, Canterbury and the New Zealand Academy scoring 572 runs and taking 16 wickets. In 21 List A games, he scored 253 runs and seven wickets.
Barton, who had been an assistant coach of the side in 2012, was New Zealand Cricket's coach development manager between 2009 to 2013, and had also played for and coached the Argentina team between 2005 and 2009.
Barton will continue in his role as high-performance manager with a netball franchise while fulfilling his commitments in a part-time role with the New Zealand Women's team. His first assignment will be the team's tour to West Indies in September.
"Globally, the women's game is evolving quickly now; it's very competitive with many countries contracting all their national players full time," Barton said. "There's no doubt we have to keep progressing to retain our position at the forefront of international cricket - and that will be a priority over the next year.
"It's the shop window for the women's game here. The better the performance of the White Ferns, the more appealing the game is for the bright young athletes considering cricket as their future."
Barton played 17 first-class matches for Auckland, Canterbury and the New Zealand Academy scoring 572 runs and taking 16 wickets. In 21 List A games, he scored 253 runs and seven wickets.
![[JUGRAJ SINGH]](https://www.unp.me/data/avatars/s/123/123038.jpg?1591210006){kind=avatar}
