Ryan Cook steps down as Netherlands head coach following birth of second child

Netherlands men’s cricket team head coach Ryan Cook has stepped down from his position with immediate effect after his partner Emma gave birth to their second child. The Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) has confirmed the development in a media release.

In his absence, former South Africa cricketer Heino Kuhn, who also served as batting coach under Cook, will take over as head coach on an interim basis and will be at the helm for their upcoming Cricket World Cup League 2 matches. After stepping down, Cook called coaching the Netherlands a highlight of his career and said that the team needs someone who can give them full focus.

"Coaching the Dutch men's team has, without a shadow of a doubt, been one of the highlights of my coaching career so far. It's been an absolute pleasure to lead the journey towards professionalism and creating a competitive cricket team with strong values,” Cook said in a KNCB statement.

"I thank all at the KNCB and the Dutch cricket community for all their continued support throughout the years. The KNCB and the team deserve someone who can give the job the full, sustained focus and presence it now requires. I know that the foundations are strong and the future is bright,” he added.

Cook, who’s also a former South African cricketer, became Netherlands’ coach in May 2022. During his tenure, the Dutch put in remarkable performances, qualifying for the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they beat Zimbabwe and South Africa. Later, they also sealed their spot in the ODI World Cup after 12 years, featuring in the last edition of the tournament in 2023, held in India.

During the tournament, Netherlands again upset South Africa and beat Bangladesh, but only managed to finish last.

Netherlands placed third on CWC League 2 table

KNCB chief executive Huib van Walsem credited Cook for creating a strong team culture and thanked him for his efforts that yielded great results for the team.

"Ryan Cook has had an enormous impact on the entire system of Dutch cricket, building the depth of players, a strong team culture, coaching development and contributions to grassroots cricket. We are grateful for his wonderful efforts that have brought great results,” KNCB chief executive Huib van Walsem said.

Meanwhile, Netherlands are currently placed third on the CWC League 2 table, behind USA and Scotland, with 32 points from 28 matches.