Stars lock in Yorkshire mentor as new head coach for WBBL

Melbourne Stars have locked in their new head coach for Weber WBBL|12, with Yorkshire's Richard Pyrah signing on for the next two seasons.

Pyrah takes the reins from Andy Christie, who was last month confirmed to be stepping back into an assistant role with the club while remaining head coach of Victoria's women's team.

Pyrah has previously worked across both England and Australia and has spent the past three years at the helm of Yorkshire, who were elevated to the top tier of the ECB's women's county competition this year.

The 43-year-old will already be familiar with Stars captain Annabel Sutherland having worked as an assistant coach with Sunrisers Leeds alongside the Australian allrounder during the recently completed Hundred season.

Pyrah is also no stranger to the Big Bash following stints as a consultant coach at the Renegades and Strikers men's sides between 2015 and 2017.

"We are really excited to have Richard leading our WBBL program at the Melbourne Stars," said general manager James Rosengarten in a statement.

"He is an experienced coach across both women's and men's programs and will bring a diverse skillset to the team.

"Richard has been able to build really strong relationships within the teams he has coached and is already familiar with a number of our players."

Christie had replaced Jonathan Batty as the Stars' coach last year when the Englishman's contract wasn't renewed after WBBL|10, when the team failed to play finals in his three years at the helm.

The Stars showed improvement in WBBL|11, finishing fourth before losing the Knockout final to the third-ranked Perth Scorchers at the WACA Ground.

"This move is all about strengthening our club," Rosengarten said today.

"Andy did a sensational job last season guiding our team to the WBBL finals, and having him remain a part of the program was important to us.

"He already coaches a number of our players across the Victorian women's team, so to have that continuity leading into the WBBL season will be an asset for us."

The Stars are the last club to lock in their coach for WBBL|12, after the Renegades appointed Australia assistant Gavan Twining to replace departed title-winning coach Simon Helmot, and Peter Clarke took over at the Sixers after Matthew Mott's move to the men's team.

Pyrah's appointment is not the only coaching change at the Stars this summer with Cameron White replacing Peter Moores as the club's new men's head coach.

White had been Melbourne Renegades head coach for the past two seasons but moved to the Stars as part of a Cricket Victoria restructure ahead of their intended 100 per cent sale of the Renegades licence to a private investor.

The Stars will be the only Big Bash entity operated by CV going forward, with the Renegades to be run independently away from CV's Junction Oval headquarters until a sale is finalised. They will still be funded by the state body.

CV's initial longer-term vision was to rebrand the Stars franchise into a 'Melbourne' team with a new moniker and playing kit, but the organisation ran out of time to make the changes they wanted ahead of the coming summer. Both the Stars and Renegades will take the field in their traditional green and red colours respectively in Weber WBBL|12 and KFC BBL|16.

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