Tyron welcomed to The Green by club Chairman, Dean McDonald
The Club are absolutely delighted to welcome Tyron Koen as our new 1st XI captain/coach on a multi-year deal. Originally from Durban, South Africa, Tyron’s a former first-class cricketer who played at the top level for KwaZulu-Natal Inland and brings a ton of experience and leadership to the squad.
Tyron’s cricketing journey has been top-class since day one. From captaining his school’s 1st XI at Westville Boys High to representing KwaZulu-Natal at various levels, he’s been a standout. He made his first-class and List A debuts in 2016-17, quickly showing his skills with fast-medium bowling and reliable middle-order batting. The man knows how to steady the ship!
Before joining us, Tyron already made waves in Northern Ireland as an overseas player, first at Ardmore CC, where he was one of the league’s top all-rounders, and then at CIYMS in the NCU, where he kept up his form. In the 2024 season, he racked up 610 runs at an average of 36 and grabbed 28 wickets at 20 apiece—basically doing it all.
Peter Shields, our Chairman of Cricket, couldn’t hide his excitement: “Tyron is a top-class cricketer, and we’re thrilled he’s committed his future to North Down. He’s a proven winner who knows how to perform at the highest level—exactly what we’re aiming for. This is a long-term project, and Tyron is a huge part of our exciting plans.”
Club Chairman Dean McDonald added: “We’re absolutely buzzing to have Tyron on board. It’s a testament to his ambition and character that he’s chosen this new challenge with us. Beyond his skills, it’s his values that align perfectly with what we’re building here at North Down.”
Tyron himself couldn’t be more pumped: “I’m really excited to join North Down and can’t wait to get going. It’s an exciting project, and I’m looking forward to working with the team and contributing to the club’s future. Big thanks to the club for this opportunity—I’m ready to help us achieve our goals.”
As captain, Tyron will be key in leading training, keeping standards high, and working closely with our academy players as they step up to the senior team. His guidance will be crucial in helping them make their mark.
And let’s not forget, this signing follows the announcement of Aditya Adey’s arrival—it’s safe to say, we’re not done yet. This is our way of saying we mean business for the season ahead!
Stay tuned for more—soon, we’ll be sharing an in-depth interview with Tyron, where he’ll dive into his plans and vision for North Down.
#TeamNDCC #CaptainKoen #NewEra #WelcomeTyron
