Australia's Big Bash League club, the Melbourne Renegades have appointed David Saker as the franchise's Head Coach for the next two seasons.
Saker previously coached the side for one edition in BBL|05 before he was appointed as the Assistant Coach of the Australian Men’s Team.
He has held senior coaching positions with Australia, England and Sri Lanka’s national teams and has a coaching experience of nearly 20 years.
“I’ve loved my playing and coaching experiences in my home state so the opportunity to lead the Renegades again in front of the club’s passionate Victorian supporter base is something I’m really excited about,” Saker said.
“We’ve got a talented squad with some class and power at the top of the order, complemented by a strong bowling attack and some exciting young talent. We’ll be looking to add to this group over the next few months to ensure we’ve got plenty of options when the season gets underway.
“The Big Bash has continued to grow since my last involvement and it’s more competitive than ever on the field so I’m looking forward to working with the playing group to ensure we give ourselves every chance of success.”
Saker will fill in the place for Michael Klinger who stood down from the role earlier this year.
Melbourne Renegades received applications from home and abroad, but Cricket Victoria’s General Manager of Cricket Shaun Graf commented Saker’s rapport with players along with his local and international experience saw him emerge as the leading candidate.
“’Sakes’ is a highly experienced and well-regarded international cricket coach with a proven ability to mould a team,” he said.
“He possesses a great combination of technical and tactical knowledge while also having a clear understanding on how to bring players together and ensure they’re working as a disciplined unit.
“His knowledge of the BBL, the local players and potential international recruits has enabled him to hit the ground running.
“The Renegades players will enjoy playing under him and we look forward to seeing what he can do over the next couple of years.”
