A champion Sheffield Shield wicket keeper and a former Australian one day player have been named as coaches of Strike League teams.
Cricket: Australian test skipper Meg Lanning has been forced out of the Ashes next month, due to medical issues.
Berry will join several other mentors with elite level experience set to marshall Strike League outfits, including Simon Helmot (Melbourne Renegades), Shane Jurgensen (New Zealand national bowling coach) and Mark Cosgrove (three ODIs for Australia) from June 25.
The 21-game Strike League will consist of a mixture of 50-over and T20 fixtures and run until July 28.
The 53-year-old has coached the Adelaide Strikers and was an assistant at the Sydney Sixers under Greg Shipperd, plus stints with Islamabad in the Pakistan Super League and alongside the late Shane Warne at the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL as a team manager.
Berry, currently director of coaching at Rowville Secondary College, said the Strike League continued to grow in stature and he was excited to take part.
Darren Berry with Hobart Hurricanes head coach Jeff Vaughan. Picture: Eddie Safarik
“The facilities are first class and the climate this time of year makes it a great destination for players to develop their game,” Berry said.
“Cricket in the Territory is an untapped gem and what NT Cricket are doing with Cricket 365 is a great example of the enormous potential up here.”
Meanwhile, Jurgensen, who has previously coached Bangladesh, Fiji and the Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League, was looking for some personal coaching development and experience with a three-month window opening up.
“The Strike League seemed like a great fit and New Zealand Cricket were very supportive,” Jurgensen said.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge of bringing a group of talented young cricketers together quickly and helping some young players on their journey.”
Helmot, returning from a spell in the IPL as an assistant coach at Sunrisers Hyderabad, has also been involved at several T20 leagues across the globe.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time coaching in overseas leagues, so I was keen to spend these few months in Australia,” he said.
“The chance to come up to Darwin, be part of a competition I have heard a lot of good things about and help coach and shape some of Australia’s best young talent coming through the system was the perfect opportunity.”
Simon Helmot has plenty of experience in T20 cricket. Picture: Kim Eiszele.
Cosgrove, a high performance coach with the SA Cricket Association, will return for his second stint with the Strike League after guiding the Northern Tide in 2022.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my Strike League experience last year,” Cosgrove said.
“The standard of cricket was excellent.
“The facilities were brilliant, and Darwin is a great place to spend a few months in the winter.”
NT chief executive Gavin Dovey said he was thrilled to see an internationally respected group appointed as head coaches and it was another step up for the emerging competition.
“Strike League was already without doubt the best place for our country’s emerging talent to spend their winter in Australia,” Dovey said.
Mark Cosgrove (left) with the late Neil Dansie, Jason Gillespie, Greg Blewett and Peter Sleep with the new statue of Darren Lehmann at the Adelaide Oval. Picture: Tom Huntley
“Players are now going to be coached and mentored by guys with decades of experience at the highest levels of the game.
“Coaches who are currently coaching the best players in the world.”
It will highlight a massive few months of cricket in Darwin, with the Under 19 World Cup qualifiers (June 12-21) and the Top End T20 series in August also coming up.
Meanwhile, Dylan Slater, Himesh Silva, Karl Mayne and Madura Weerasinghe will be assistant coaches during the Strike League.