New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive to Quit Job in November

September 21, 2011

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive Justin Vaughan announced he is leaving the job in November, partly because of the travel demands and time away from his family.

“I love the job, I wake up every morning and love what I’m doing,” he says.

“[However,] I do have priorities in my life and family is number one.”

The 44-year-old father of three says the demands of his high profile job meant something had to give, so he finishes his role in November.

He broke the news to the Blackcaps during the lunch break at their training camp. Even captain Ross Taylor says he didn’t see it coming.

“Justin leaving surprised me as it did the rest of the boys,” he says.

It’s been a turbulent year all round for Vaughan. Earthquakes in Christchurch damaged his own hillside house and forced New Zealand Cricket to relocate their offices out of the central city.

One of his best achievements, he says, was implementing the “risk and reward” model he struck the New Zealand Players’ Association where players get more money in good times and vice versa.

Heath Mills, Players’ Association head, said: “At times there have been tough discussions but that’s always part of it , but 95 percent of the time we have been working together rather than challenging each other,”

Under Vaughan’s watch there’s been a lot of change, especially in the team’s coaching and management

Privately he’s had plenty of critics and while Vaughan is satisfied he’s done a good job, the Blackcaps world ranking at 8th in tests and 7th in one dayers is a major disappointment.