Luke Ronchi has taken over as coach of Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League, replacing Cameron White, who has moved across town to lead Melbourne Stars. Peter Moores stays on at Stars in a director of coaching role for the upcoming season.
Ronchi, 45, will step down from his position as New Zealand’s men’s batting coach after six years in the role. He arrives at Renegades on the back of a strong campaign with Islamabad United in the PSL, where his side came close to reaching the final. He will continue working with New Zealand until their India tour ends in December, but he has already begun planning the Renegades coaching staff alongside high performance manager Clint McKay, who will double as bowling coach. Two more assistant coaches are still to be appointed.
Renegades Rebuild Under New Coaching Structure
Ronchi’s appointment follows months of turmoil at the two Melbourne franchises. Cricket Victoria, which now runs Stars exclusively, moved former Renegades general manager James Rosengarten and former head of cricket Wade Seccombe into equivalent positions at Stars. The changes followed a failed attempt by Cricket Australia to bring in private investment, a plan that would have seen Stars rebranded under Victoria’s colours while Renegades were sold to a private buyer. The plan collapsed after several states and the Australian Cricketers’ Association rejected it.
That left Renegades without an administration for a period, run by just two staff members, general manager Max Abbott and McKay, who rebuilt the club’s operations from scratch. Abbott and McKay consulted vice-captain Will Sutherland before interviewing Ronchi, former Sydney Sixers coach Greg Shipperd and current Durham coach Ryan Campbell for the head coach role. Ronchi was chosen to bring fresh energy to a playing group that has faced repeated upheaval.
“Luke stood out with his clear vision for how he wants our team to play and his ability to build strong relationships,” McKay said. New Zealand captain Tom Latham credited Ronchi’s coaching for the improvement in several players under his guidance during his time with the national side.
Playing Career Spans Australia and New Zealand
Ronchi played for Perth Scorchers in the first season of the BBL after a long career with Western Australia, representing Australia in four ODIs and three T20Is.
He later returned to New Zealand, the country of his birth, and played four Tests, 81 ODIs and 29 T20Is for the Black Caps. He also featured in franchise leagues including the IPL, PSL, CPL, the Blast and the Super Smash.
White Takes Over at Stars Alongside Moores
White moves to Stars after two seasons at Renegades, where the team finished sixth and seventh. He previously led San Francisco Unicorns, also run by Cricket Victoria, to the Major League Cricket playoffs. At Stars, he will work under Moores, who coached the team for the past two seasons and now shifts into a director of coaching position.
Rosengarten said the club now has multiple high-calibre coaches working within its BBL program, adding that White brings strong tactical experience and a heavy work rate to the role.
Both clubs are also searching for new WBBL coaches. Simon Helmot has left Renegades for Gulf Giants in the ILT20, while Stars assistant Andy Christie is expected to step into a larger role this season.
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