Vics rope in experienced pair to lead T20 program

Cricket Victoria has lured championship-winning KFC BBL coach Wade Seccombe to their T20 high performance department as the state seeks to lift their underperforming Big Bash franchises.

Seccombe, who resigned from his Queensland and Brisbane Heat coaching roles in March, was this morning announced as one of CV's new T20 High Performance managers, with former Australia quick Clint McKay securing the second position.

The former Bulls gloveman will be aligned with Melbourne Renegades men's and women's teams where his first order of business will be to help appoint a new men's head coach after the club parted ways with David Saker earlier this month.

The 52-year-old stepped down from his dual Queensland Cricket roles after leading the Heat to their second men's Big Bash title last season.

He's the second member of the Heat to jump ship to the Renegades in the off-season, following big-hitting opener Josh Brown who signed a two-year deal with the club last month.

McKay, who has stood in as one of the Australia men's team's assistants in recent times, including during the white-ball series against West Indies in February, will be aligned with Melbourne Stars, where he has been involved extensively as a player and coach.

The former Test and ODI paceman played 23 matches for the Stars from BBL|01 to BBL|04, while he has been the club's bowling coach in recent seasons.

McKay and Seccombe will work closely with the club's two respective general managers – Blair Crouch at the Stars and James Rosengarten at the Renegades – to oversee Victoria's T20 performance programs, which also includes a new state-based women's T20 competition following the shortening of the Weber WBBL season.

The pair will also work as assistant coaches during the WBBL and BBL seasons.

"It is really pleasing to be able to have two people of Clint and Wade's calibre joining our cricket performance program at Cricket Victoria and working closely with both our Big Bash clubs," said Graham Manou, CV's general manager of Cricket Performance.

"They will play a vital role in the talent management and identification process with a specific focus on T20 skills and potential.

"They will also be an active part of our existing elite and development programs, putting a renewed emphasis on T20 cricket within our programs."

The two Victorian Big Bash clubs missed the finals in both the men's and women's competitions last season and only have one title between them from a combined 22 BBL and WBBL seasons.

The Stars men's side have missed the finals for the past four seasons, while their women's team have finished in the bottom four in eight of the nine years of the competition's existence.

The club is also yet to lift a trophy despite qualifying for the finals of the men's competition the most out of any club except the two most successful – Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers.

The Renegades, meanwhile, have reached the men's Big Bash finals only once since taking out the title in BBL|08, with the women's team also finishing seventh and eighth respectively the past two seasons.

Following the retirements of veterans Aaron Finch and Shaun Marsh, the club is set for somewhat of a reset next season under a new captain and head coach, who could be set for more of a hands-on role to help nurture their emerging talent, such as Brown, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Will Sutherland.

It's been a busy period for coaching appointments in Victoria with former Sri Lankan batter Dulip Samaraweera announced as the state's new women's head coach last week.

Samaraweera, who had been acting in the role since CV parted ways with Jarrad Loughman last November, will lead the state for the next two seasons.