Mark Greatbatch has been named the coach of the State Central Stags for the next two years.

He replaces Dipak Patel who resigned at the end of the last season.

Greatbatch takes up his new position on June 1. He was previously CD's coaching director.

A distinguished New Zealand batsman in his playing career, Greatbatch scored 2021 runs at 30.62 in his 41-Test career and 2206 runs in 84 One-Day Internationals.

He has been CD's coaching director since retiring at the end of the 1998 season. He has been coaching the CD Under-19 team and the CD Provincial 'A' team, while in the last year he had coached the New Zealand Under-19 team at the ICC Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

With the position being full-time, Greatbatch is looking forward to working with the CD squad throughout the winter and then utilising his team strategy skills during the cricket season, CD chief executive Blair Furlong said.

"Central Districts looks forward to next season with high expectations of success with Mark at the helm," he said.

With this appointment CD will immediately advertise to replace Greatbatch as coaching director.

© CricInfo