Kurtis Patterson has been removed as the team’s captain by New South Wales (NSW) cricket after a poor campaign in the just-completed Sheffield Shield.
Patterson, who had coached the Blues the previous two seasons, was benched in the 2022–23 season’s final game after New South Wales went the entire year without a victory.
It is important to note that the Patterson-led NSW finished the domestic season with a wooden spoon after losing five and drawing five of the 10 games they played. In addition, it was the first time since the 1938–1939 campaign that the team failed to win a game at any point during the season.
After firing Phil Jaques in November, NSW named Greg Shipperd as their new head coach in the midst of a forgettable season. Shipperd acknowledged the team’s unsuccessful season and the dismissal of captain Patterson while claiming that the choice would let him concentrate on his batting.
When considering Kurtis’ time as captain of NSW, coach Shipperd says, “It was the team first and him second.”
Greg Shipperd, the head coach of NSW, shared his opinions on Kurtis Patterson’s time as captain after Patterson was fired. Because he has learned certain aspects about the former captain’s batting that he will be working on, he thinks that stepping down as captain will help him perform better as a batter. Additionally, Kurtis will be able to revert to his best former batting performance with the aid of playing time.
“Kurtis Patterson’s season came to a dismal end like that. He and I spoke earlier today. We have pinpointed several aspects of his strategy and way of thinking. Now that he is not the captain, he can concentrate on giving his all, according to Shipperd, whom ESPNcricinfo quoted.
“Captaincy can devour you, but he gave it a great effort when I was there. It was the team first and him second. Next year, we can change the dynamic and ensure that he returns to his previous level of performance.
The 30-year-old Southpaw had a terrible season’s finale with the bat, scoring only 417 runs in 16 innings at a pitiful average of 29.78.
On Monday, May 8, NSW Cricket officially unveiled the Blues’ 2023–24 roster. The team includes players like Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and David Warner, among others, though Daniel Sams chose to pursue cricket possibilities with international franchises.