Klinger offered another chance to rejuvenate Renegades

Michael Klinger has had his tenure as head coach of the Melbourne Renegades extended for the next two KFC BBL seasons.

Klinger, who joined the club just three weeks before the BBL|09 season began, endured a horror start to his professional coaching career as the defending champions lost nine matches on the trot to open their campaign.

Their first win did not come until January 15 when they beat the Sydney Thunder on a rain-affected night in Canberra, before completing the double against an out-of-sorts Brisbane Heat outfit.

Klinger had been signed on a one-year deal to replace title-winning coach Andrew McDonald when he joined the Australia men's teams ranks as an assistant to Justin Langer shortly before the season began.

Cricket Victoria operations chief Shaun Graf told Nine that, following a review, Klinger would return.

"He will be extended for another two years and we are confident that he won’t have another start to the season that he had," Graf said.

"The best thing that did was to give him a good education, to be quite honest.

"Even though it was hard at the time, it was a great learning curve.

"He went through nine losses and, then to turn it around, three wins from his last five games, was fine."

Klinger had been set to be the Melbourne Stars batting coach for BBL|09 – a role ultimately filled by former England import Luke Wright – before the former Adelaide Strikers and Perth Scorchers star was poached for the Renegades head coach vacancy.

Renegades skipper Aaron Finch – who missed a portion of the season on Australia duty for a whirlwind three-game ODI series in mid January – backed Klinger at the end of BBL|09.

Image Id: A67EAABF3BA745AB9B9440AD5D9027C1 Image Caption: Michael Klinger and Aaron Finch pose in November after the announcement of Klinger's signing as Renegades coach // Getty

"He's been outstanding. It's disappointing that results haven't gone our way," Finch said after the Renegades final game of the season, where just their third win ended the Brisbane Heat's slim finals hopes.

"Not much has changed from last year. We just managed to win those 50-50 games and get over the line in close ones and go on and win the final.

"I'm disappointed for Maxy, the way it went in that regard. It was an over here or there which cost us.

"I'm really proud of the players and coaching group to stick together and win three of the last five."

Melbourne Renegades results in BBL|09

Dec 19: Lost to Sydney Thunder by six wickets

Dec 21: Lost to Perth Scorchers by 11 runs

Dec 24: Lost to Hobart Hurricanes by seven wickets

Dec 29: Lost to Adelaide Strikers by 18 runs

Jan 2: Lost to Sydney Sixers by six wickets

Jan 4: Lost to Melbourne Stars by eight wickets

Jan 7: Lost to Perth Scorchers by six wickets

Jan 10: Lost to Melbourne Stars by seven wickets

Jan 12: Lost to Adelaide Strikers by 63 runs

Jan 15: Beat Sydney Thunder by 12 runs (DLS)

Jan 19: Beat Brisbane Heat by 44 runs

Jan 21: Lost to Hobart Hurricanes by four runs

Jan 25: Lost to Sydney Sixers by seven wickets

Jan 27: Beat Brisbane Heat by seven wickets