Simon Helmot commits to Melbourne Renegades until end of WBBL09

Helmot took over as head coach ahead of the 2021/22 season, leading the Renegades to within a game of the WBBL07 final

Simon Helmot will remain as Melbourne Renegades head coach until the end of WBBL09.

The 50-year-old was appointed head coach of the Women's Big Bash side on a two-year contract ahead of the 2021/22 season and has since put pen to paper on a one-year extension.

In his first season at the helm, the Renegades finished second in the regular season table before being eliminated by Adelaide Strikers in the challenger.

Alongside his role with the Renegades, Helmot is head coach of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL and an assistant coach with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.

"I really enjoyed my first year coaching this group and am excited to see what we can achieve as a team this summer," Helmot said.

^{Melbourne Renegades came within one match of the final in WBBL07 [Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images]}

"We have a talented playing list which is brilliantly led by Sophie Molineux and a lot of exciting, young players who will only continue to develop in the years ahead.

"I'm passionate about developing people and creating an environment where players are well supported, enjoy their cricket, and can perform at their best.

"I look forward to building on the foundations we laid last year as a team – both on and off the field – playing an exciting brand of cricket and continuing to push for team success over the next couple of years."

General manager, James Rosengarten, added: "The impact Simon had in his first season as our WBBL head coach was fantastic and we're thrilled to have him now committed to leading our program for the next two seasons.

"He brings a wealth of knowledge from his coaching experiences in Australia and in T20 competitions around the world.

"In a short period of time, Simon has been able to build a great team culture and strong relationships with his players. It's an environment our players loved being part of last year.

"We want to continue to play an entertaining, fearless brand of cricket and Simon is absolutely the right person to drive that as we strive to win our first WBBL title."

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.