Tigers appoint Male Program batting coach

Smith will re-locate to Tasmania from South Africa, where he has been working as batting coach of the Johannesburg-based DP World Lions in South Africa’s domestic first class competition. 

A former player himself with over 100 first class matches to his name, Smith had in excess of ten years’ experience coaching prior to joining the Lions; seven of those as a batting specialist.  Prior to joining the Lions as batting coach, Smith was Head Coach of the Tuskers Division 2 team in the same domestic competition.  He has also served two separate stints coaching in the Pakistan Super League (PSL); first, as the batting coach for Islamabad United, followed by an assistant coaching role with he Karachi Kings last season.

After taking over from former Test batter, JP Duminy, in the batting coach role at the Lions in August 2022, Smith’s side went on to win the Cricket South Africa One-Day Challenge Division One tournament in season 2022-23 (South Africa’s equivalent to the Marsh One-Day Cup).

Smith joins Diedrick Krueger and Emma Doherty as new staff working exclusively with the Male Tigers program from 2023-24.

Krueger – also of South African origin – joins the team as Physical Performance Coach, re-locating from Auckland, New Zealand, where he recently held similar roles from Auckland Aces Cricket and St Kentigern College.

Doherty has transferred across from her role as Player Development Manager in Cricket Tasmania’s successful Female Tigers program, to perform the same role within the male environment.

“We are really excited by Michael’s appointment,” said Cricket Tasmania’s General Manager of High Performance, Salliann Beams, “not only to have someone of his calibre and experience joining our program, but to have confirmed our full compliment of off-field personnel across the Male Tigers program.”

“We’ve obviously had a period of transition for both the players and staff which has been challenging, but – and [head coach, Jeff] Vaughan[y] often says this – we’re all about finding the right people to fit the roles we have available, whether they be on-field or off-field roles.

“We believe we have done this, just by looking at how the entire program has already embraced working with Diedrick and Emma so seamlessly.  It’s really encouraging signs for the seasons ahead.”

Smith’s appointment now completes the Male Tigers new-look staff ahead of the 2023-24 season.

The full list of personnel exclusively servicing the Tigers Male program are:

Head coach: Jeff Vaughan
Assistant coach – bowling: Rob Cassell
Assistant coach – batting: Michael Smith
Physiotherapist: Brendan Wilson
Physical Performance Coach: Diedrick Krueger
Player Development Manager: Emma Doherty

Smith will commence his tenure with Cricket Tasmania on July 31.