Coast cricketer takes career to Earth's greatest height

From Parramatta to the world's highest peak, Maleny cricket coach Nathan Dodd is gearing up for a dramatic change of scenery in his cricketing journey.

NEW HEIGHTS: Maleny-based cricket coach Nathan Dodd is off to Nepal to coach the Pokhara Rhinos cricket team. Picture: John McCutcheon

FROM Parramatta to the world's highest peak, Maleny cricket coach Nathan Dodd is gearing up for a dramatic change of scenery for the next phase of his cricketing journey.

A Cricket Australia accredited level three high performance coach, Mr Dodd had been plying his trade as coach of Sandgate-Redcliffe in the Queensland Premier Grade competition.

His successes in the shorter Twenty20 format of the game had secured him consulting work with Parramatta in Sydney's Premier Grade tournament too and he had been travelling down there about every 4-6 weeks to impart his knowledge.

His short format nous has put him on an unlikely radar though.

On Friday Mr Dodd will head to Nepal to coach the Pokhara Rhinos in the second-ever Everest Premier League T20 competition.

The ICC-sanctioned tournament is played at the university grounds, not exactly on the slopes of Mount Everest, but not far from them.

"It's a very popular sport over there being right next to India," Mr Dodd said.

Cultural and language barriers will keep Mr Dodd busy in the three weeks he'll be leading the squad.

"There's certainly a lot of challenges, that's for sure," he said.

"Lots of learning on the run it'll be.

"It's their main tournament."

Mr Dodd still coached a number of local juniors privately.

He was preparing for an intense experience, with up to 20,000 fans expected to cram into each game at the 15,000 person-capacity home ground in Nepal.

"It's going to be very unique," Mr Dodd said.

"Being involved in a full-time professional team is exciting."

His T20 expertise at Sandgate was hoped to keep him in good stead for his Nepalese adventure, while he'd also been approached by other T20 franchises in Asia sounding him out about coaching opportunities in early-2019.