Hesson quits as Kenya coach

Wellington - New Zealander Mike Hesson says he quit as Kenya's national cricket coach after his family were victims of an attempted carjacking.

Hesson, who returned to New Zealand earlier this month, told Radio Sport on Friday that the carjacking was the last in a series of events which had caused him to fear for the safety of his family. His wife's car had earlier been attacked and he feared increased violence in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Hesson said during the carjacking "we had a guy on the roof and people shaking the car trying to get in. Obviously the kids were upset. Next day a grenade went off a mile from our house."

He said "ninety percent of our time in Kenya was great but unfortunately it was spoiled by a few incidents."

"We returned to Kenya about a month ago from New Zealand. We'd had a holiday and prior to that my wife had been attacked in the car, when I was in Dubai.

"Going back was a tough choice and a week after going back we had another incident in the car and the kids were in the car this time.

"All in all it was a pretty easy decision for us to make."

Hesson said his family had a comfortable apartment in a secure block and had enjoyed most of their time in Kenya "but security in the end won.

"It was more the culmination of five or six events that we thought, this is just getting a bit too often. The first couple of times you think we're just in a different country and we need to harden up a bit. But when you've got children involved you tend to make wiser decisions, I guess."

Hesson said he hoped to find a new role with New Zealand Cricket after coaching Otago province and New Zealand A during a 19-year professional coaching career.