Luke Woodcock has announced his resignation from his role as Blaze Assistant Coach/HBJ Head Coach, ending a storied 24-year association with Cricket Wellington as both a player and coach. 

Woodcock, one of Wellington’s most celebrated cricketers, made his debut in 2001 and retired as a player in 2019 after an outstanding career. A true stalwart of Wellington cricket, he played over 350 matches across all formats and left a lasting legacy in the record books. He remains Wellington’s all-time leading run-scorer in First-Class cricket, the second-highest wicket-taker in One Day cricket, and the leading wicket-taker in T20s for the Firebirds. 

After retiring as a player, Woodcock moved into coaching with the organisation, plying his trade as Blaze Assistant Coach, Blaze HBJ Head Coach, and Men’s Pathway Coach. His tenure with the team saw new heights for a dominant Blaze team, including three Super Smash titles and a HBJ title over this time.

Cricket Wellington CEO Todd Bryant acknowledged Woodcock’s immense contributions and respected his decision to step down. 

"Luke has been a cornerstone of Cricket Wellington for more than two decades, first as one of our greatest players and then as a coach, bringing his immense expertise to the role," said Bryant. 

"While we are sad to see him go, we are looking forward to seeing what comes next for Luke and wish him and his family all the best." 

Woodcock expressed his gratitude to the organisation and reflected on his time with Cricket Wellington. 

“I am proud of what I was able to achieve as a player for Wellington, and I have now had the chance to grow my coaching career across the Male and Female game over the past 6 seasons. The Blaze is set up to keep moving forward and it feels the right time to hand over the reins to a new coaching team. I thank all players and support staff for their efforts over my 4 seasons, special mention to Lance Dry and Rachel Pettit who took me on board to begin this 4-year journey. There are many highlights I will take away and look back fondly on. I wish the team all the best and CW moving forward”.

The Blaze coaching team for 2025/26 will be announced in due course.

Article added: Friday 13 June 2025