Current Wellington Firebirds Head Coach and former Australian domestic cricketer Shane Jurgensen will take on the role of NT Strike’s Head Coach for this year’s Top End Series sponsored by Tourism NT.
Jurgensen has coached professionally for 26 years, including 15 at the international level where he most notably was New Zealand Cricket Bowling Coach between 2016 – 2023, playing a pivotal role in the BlackCaps winning the inaugural ICC World Test Championship and making the final of the 2019 ODI World Cup and 2021 T20 World Cup.
As a player Jurgensen featured in 23 First Class and 14 List-A Matches for Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, before embarking on a coaching career including stints with Bangladesh, Fiji and Scotland. In 2023 Jurgensen was appointed Head Coach of Wellington where he made an immediate impact, guiding the Firebirds to their first Plunket Shield (Sheffield Shield equivalent) title in 5 years.
Jurgensen takes over the NT Strike coaching position from Melbourne Renegades W/BBL Head Coach Simon Helmot who has taken up a Head Coach opportunity in the 2025 Caribbean Premier League.
Jurgensen will arrive in Darwin early August to begin preparing the NT Strike Team for the Top End T20 Series, with the home side opening their campaign against the Nepal National Team at DXC Arena on Friday 15 August (6pm).
Trent Keep, NT Cricket Pathway and Talent Development Coach, will be Jurgensen’s Assistant Coach, ensuring strong connection to NT Cricket’s pathway and academies and providing further experience for Trent following his recent appointment to Tim Paine’s Australia ‘A’ coaching staff.
Shane Jurgensen:
“After my coaching experience in the NT in 2023 I cannot wait to get to Darwin again.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Territory’s best young players and re-connecting with some of those guys who I’ve worked with previously.
“It’s incredible to see the growth of the Top End T20 Series and the level of local and international talent it’s attracting, so I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Northern Territory Head of Cricket Nick Winter:
“We have secured a world-class coach in Shane.
“To be able to bring someone in with his level of experience and credibility is fantastic for the development of our young players but also the standing of the Top End T20 Series.
“We want to replicate how a professional team would approach a tournament across our planning, training and tactics, and we’re bringing someone in that’s done that with the likes of Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Rachin Ravindra.
“What an amazing opportunity for our players and I look forward to watching their growth under Shane’s leadership”.
The NT Strike Squad for the 2025 Top End T20 Series sponsored by Tourism NT will be announced in the coming weeks. Northern Territory Cricket directs interested individuals to view the Northern Territory Cricket Selection Policy available at www.ntcricket.com.au/pathways