Pierre de Bruyn new coach of the Dutch women's national team as of August 1, 2026
Published at 13 May, 2026Pierre de Bruyn will be the new national coach of the Dutch women's cricket team. On August 1 he will succeed Neil MacRae, who will return to the Jersey men's team after the T20 Women’s World Cup this summer.
Pierre de Bruyn (March 31, 1977) played as a professional cricketer until 2010, most recently for the Dolphins in South Africa. After his playing career he has built an impressive career as a cricket coach.
In 2016, he became head coach of the English county Leicestershire CCC.
In 2021, the Namibian men's national team qualified for the T20 World Cup in 2021 under his leadership — the team's first final round qualification since 1996.
From April 2025 De Bruyn was head coach of the Fidelity Titans women's team in South Africa.
Pierre de Bruyn comments: “I am very excited to get started with the Dutch squad, a talented group that managed to qualify for the big stage which is a great achievement. It illustrates the willpower and potential of these players.”
He added: “I want to thank Dr Jacques Faul (CEO) and Titans Cricket for the support during my time at Titans Cricket and wish the team all the best for the future.”
Current Dutch women’s head coach Neil MacRae: “It has been great to work with the Netherlands women’s team, with qualification for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup the culmination of two years of hard work and dedication by the players. We wish Pierre every success in continuing the development of the team as he leads them in the next phase of their journey.”
KNCB’s High Performance Director Ryan Cook adds: “The Women’s team has been on an upward trajectory for the past few years under Neil’s leadership which has resulted in first ever qualification for the World Cup. We thank him for his contribution and as we look to continue this momentum and progression, we are excited to have attracted Pierre as a top international coach with an impressive track record who we believe can take the team to the next level.”
In January 2026 the Dutch women's team qualified for the T20 World Cup, which will be held in England in June and July. The Dutch team will play against Bangladesh, India, Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan on June 14, 17, 20, 25, and 27, in succession. All matches will be livestreamed by Dutch broadcaster NOS.
