Photo Credit: Cricket NSW
Incoming NSW Blues head coach Greg Shipperd has bolstered his off-field stocks with the appointments of former Australian bowling coach Ali de Winter and former Blues skipper Shawn Bradstreet as his assistants.
Following a seven-year playing career with Tasmania, De Winter has built a stellar coaching resume over the last 20 years, including stints as the Australian men’s team bowling coach and both assistant and interim head coaching roles with Tasmania. He has also coached the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.
Bradstreet, an allrounder who captained NSW during the 1999/2000 summer, has been part of the Blues coaching set-up over the last two summers, as well as serving under Trevor Bayliss at Sydney Thunder, where he has an assistant for eight seasons.
A third Blues assistant will be appointed in coming weeks, helping round out a new-look coaching team under the leadership of Shipperd and Cricket NSW Chief of Cricket Performance Greg Mail.
Shipperd has worked with both de Winter and Bradstreet before – the former when Shipperd was a consultant for Tasmania in 2021/22, and the latter last year at the Blues when Shipperd took the reins in November as the interim head coach.
Shipperd said the recruitment of de Winter and a full-time role for Bradstreet was a big step forward as the Blues work towards building themselves back into a title contending force.
“I am excited by the opportunity to work with Ali and Shawn again,” Shipperd said.
“Both are accomplished coaches who bring experience and skills in all facets of the game.
“I provided assistance to Ali when he was the head coach at Tasmania a few summers ago and what struck me was his knowledge across all areas of cricket.
“He has a great deal of experience at the elite level, having been an assistant with the Australian team. He has also worked in pathways, so has a great understanding of the identification and development of young talent, which will be a great connection with our Pathway team at CNSW, led by Anthony Clark.
“Shawn has been around the Blues for decades and worked very well at the Thunder. Another plus is he has been around the Premier Cricket Club system and understands that pathway well too.
“These guys both have an all-round coaching set of skills which I think our team will thrive on.”
The Blues return for pre-season training next month.
