Former New Zealand Cricket Coach David Trist Dies at Age 77

David Trist, the former New Zealand cricket coach who steered the national team to their maiden global championship victory in 2000, has passed away at age 77.

The ex-Canterbury pace bowler transitioned from a 14-year playing stint to coaching positions across multiple nations, including stints with Canterbury, South Africa, Hong Kong and the Netherlands, before accepting New Zealand’s top coaching role in 1999 as Steve Rixon’s successor.

Despite serving just two years in the position, Trist achieved what had eluded previous New Zealand coaches by delivering the country’s inaugural world cricket title – the Champions Trophy, formerly known as the ICC Knockout. This breakthrough would remain New Zealand’s sole global triumph until the men’s team claimed the 2021 World Test Championship. The historic victory came via a four-wicket defeat of India in Nairobi, highlighted by Chris Cairns’ match-winning unbeaten century.

Speaking to ESPN in 2017, Trist recalled: “Cairns was outstanding, and played an innings that he will remember forever, because it was the winning of the game. But the feeling was we could do it, and we had to do it. That was what pervaded the dressing room – although there were moments of concern, quite clearly, with losing wickets early and one or two other batsmen not quite doing what they had done previously.”

Trist praised Cairns’ decisive performance, explaining: “But Cairns’ innings was one of his greatest, if not his greatest, innings, in so much as it won basically the only thing New Zealand has ever won. He could take the game away from you. He was a big hitter, but he was also technically very sound. He wasn’t unsettled by fast bowling, and against spin he was positive.”

The coach vividly described the momentum shift during that crucial innings: “I think in the latter stage of that innings, the Indians went from ‘We’ve won this’ to ‘Oh shit!’ And Chris went on, of course, to get a hundred. It was a huge innings, and probably one of the most important innings in terms of New Zealand that we’ve witnessed.”

Discussing the tournament path that saw New Zealand overcome Zimbabwe and Pakistan before the India showdown, Trist reflected: “I look back on it as pleasing for the players in the first instance, and a special moment for New Zealand. Even though they were only three matches, they were very testing ones: Zimbabwe in Africa, and then us as underdogs beating two of the powerhouses of world cricket on a fair and equal environment – we caused one of the bigger upsets in one-day cricket finals.”

Following his departure from the national team role, Trist continued his coaching involvement as director at Christchurch’s Old Collegians Cricket Club while also taking assignments in India and England.

New Zealand Cricket announced the news through social media, stating: “NZC is deeply saddened to confirm the passing of former Blackcaps coach David Trist, who died in Christchurch yesterday, aged 77…NZC extends its heartfelt condolences to David’s family and friends.”