Renegades name Saker as new head coach

The Melbourne Renegades have named David Saker as their new head coach.

The former Victorian fast bowler, and current bowling coach for England, has signed for two years and replaces Simon Helmot in the role.

Melbourne Renegades CEO Stuart Coventry said Saker’s experience in helping England win the Ashes in 2009 and 2010/2011 was a factor in him being given the opportunity to help the less glamorous of Melbourne’s KFC T20 Big Bash League clubs move from sixth place into the finals.

"It's been a comprehensive and thorough selection process and one that we were determined to get right and David is the right person to lead the club over the next two years and drive us into winning positions," Coventry said.

"David has been involved in the high performance environment at the international level and had great success with England across all formats over the last 5 years.  It's exciting times ahead for the franchise after a successful recruitment period post BBL|04.

"We'll now give him time to review our list closely and work out how he wants to mould things in the months ahead."

Saker played 72 first class matches for Victoria and Tasmania and is a former assistant coach at the Commonwealth Bank Victoria Bushrangers.

"I'm very excited to join the club and come back to Melbourne – which is home – and work with everyone involved. The Big Bash League is being talked about worldwide in cricket circles and it's great to be back working in the T20 format," Saker said.

"The Renegades have put together a solid squad so far and with the recent addition of Cameron White and other new signings to be confirmed, we'll be looking for big things from the guys in BBL|05.

"I know that our members and fans have big expectations of us in how we perform and our focus will be on finalising our list, reaching the finals and making the most of our opportunities from there."

Related: Renegades lure unwanted White

The 48-year-old's contract with England doesn't end until after this year's Ashes series.

However, Saker is hopeful he might return to Australia earlier and has flagged ambitions to hold the Renegades job in conjunction with a red-ball cricket role either at Bupa Sheffield Shield level or in the English county system.

"I'd like a chance to run a Sheffield Shield team if the opportunity comes up, but at the moment I've only got the Renegades job," Saker told Fairfax Media.

"I'll be moving back at the end of the (English) summer, if not earlier.

"I'd love the opportunity to be a head coach in an organisation. The same thing (would apply) if a job came up in the English system, a county job. That would be looked at. But the main thing we're looking at is Australia at the moment."

Saker also told Fairfax Media he might go through to the Ashes because his contract has a six-month termination period, and the England and Wales Cricket Board have the option to hold onto him for the Ashes.

"We'll wait and see what they do. I'm happy to go through to the Ashes if that's what they want."