Paarl Royals have appointed Shane Bond as their head coach ahead of the second season of the SA20 competition. Bond has replaced JP Duminy who had turned his resignation in after being appointed the batting coach of the South African men's cricket team.
The post was since vacant and Bond's inclusion has filled the void.
Bond has recently joined the Royals franchise after rendering his services to Mumbai Indians (MI). Bond's association with MI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) brought plenty of glory their way as they enjoyed four title finishes between 2015 to 2020.
His coaching brilliance at Mumbai Indians also saw him grab the coaching reigns of MI Emirates in ILT20. However, the former Kiwi pacer switched allegiance in October and replaced Lasith Malinga to become the fast-bowling and assistant coach of Rajasthan Royals.
Bond has become a very sought-after name because of his CV as a coach that boasts experience and success. He served as the bowling coach of his country between 2012 and 2015 and then went on to become the head coach of Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Bond's tenure at Thunder lasted from 2018 to 2021 and he also served as England's bowling consultant briefly.
"It is a new challenge for me personally to be heading to the SA20, but what gives me the belief is the strong squad we have been able to assemble for the upcoming season. We have so much experience and immense potential in our ranks, which makes me excited to join the group in January and work towards achieving our target of lifting the trophy," Bond said in a press release shared by Paarl Royals.
Kumar Sangakkara, who is Royals' Director of Cricket, expressed his jubilation at Bond's appointment and mentioned that he would take the team in the right direction by virtue of his coaching experience.
"Apart from being a fierce competitor during his playing days, Shane (Bond) has also excelled in his various coaching roles across teams and leagues, and we are delighted to have him lead the coaching team at Paarl Royals. The inaugural season provided us with a lot of learnings after our semi-final finish, and we believe that his experience, commitment and vision align well with our goals for the upcoming season," Sangakkara said.
