After five years as head coach, Simon Helmot is stepping down from his role with Melbourne Renegades.
In combination with the club’s skipper and recently appointed Australian captain, Sophie Molineux, Helmot’s leadership helped the Renegades claim their first women’s Big Bash title.
As he leaves the organisation as a title-winning coach, we look back at the remarkable journey Helmot and his team took to claim the Weber WBBL|10 title.
Renegades’ rough ride in WBBL|09
For the first time since the inaugural WBBL season, the Renegades finished a women’s Big Bash campaign on the bottom of the ladder in WBBL|09.
Achieving just two wins in 14 matches, the season marked the club’s worst win-loss record in the competition’s history. Molineux had ruptured her ACL in WBBL|08 and was unavailable for the duration of the next season as her recovery continued, leaving West Indian captain Hayley Matthews to take the reins. Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck was also ruled out of the tournament after undergoing shoulder surgery.
While Indian international Harmanpreet Kaur (321 runs at 29.18) contributed significantly to the team’s performances, the Renegades struggled to contain opposing teams from scoring freely against them.
None of the club’s pace bowlers, including Sarah Coyte, Georgia Prestwidge and young gun Sara Kennedy went at an economy rate less than eight runs per over as team leaked big scores throughout the tournament.
Despite the dismal set of circumstances the Renegades found themselves in throughout WBBL|09, Australian allrounder Georgia Wareham was rewarded for her impressive tournament by claiming the club’s WBBL player of the season award, for her 295 runs at 32.77 and 14 wickets.
Preparing for WBBL|10
Although she nominated for the WBBL|10 Draft, Harmanpreet Kaur was not selected by the Renegades in the lead up to the new season. Helmot and his team decided to bring in veteran West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, as well as versatile English rising star Alice Capsey.
Vlaeminck was once again ruled out of the tournament with another right shoulder injury, but importantly for the Renegades, Molineux was back in the fold. Her return led to Matthews relinquishing the captaincy duties, but she would still remain a key part of the team’s plan for WBBL|10 as their marquee overseas pre-signing.
Helmot also raided rival clubs in the off-season with three new signings, including two vital pieces of the puzzle from their arch-rivals, the Melbourne Stars. Wicketkeeper Nicole Faltum and then 18-year-old speedster Milly Illingworth both made the move from green to red, while Hurricanes allrounder Naomi Stalenberg was added to the squad.
Spruiking a new mentality for the season ahead, Helmot spoke to cricket.com.au just prior to WBBL|10 in October 2024, reinforcing that the club was optimistic they had the talent to reach greater heights with a revitalised list.
“Even though the ladder looks very disappointing from last season, we felt that we played and competed in enough games that it could have been very different,” Helmot said.
“I think that things can look very different for us for this season, we’ve got a greater depth in our squad this year and some more multi-skilled players. We won’t spend too much or any more time dwelling on last season.”
Inspired by Josie Dooley, a Renegades player who suffered a stroke while on an off-season surfing holiday in Hawaii in April that year, the group embarked on a memorable campaign that would go down in the folklore of Big Bash history.
Perry, Bray spoil the Renegades’ season opener
Match one: Sydney Sixers won by three wickets | Adelaide Oval
Renegades: 8-178 (20)
Sixers: 7-179 (19)
With 8-178 on the board, it looked a competitive score from the Renegades in their WBBL|10 opener against Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval, but Australian superstar Ellyse Perry (81 off 38 balls) made light work of the chase. Alongside teenage sensation and Sixers debutant Caoimhe Bray (1-15, 12 not out), the Sixers edged out the Renegades in a competitive clash to start their respective campaigns.
While the 15-year-old Bray made headlines for bowling Dottin and hitting the winning runs at the famous cricket ground, Wareham (3-26 and 61 off 31 balls) started WBBL|10 in similar fashion to how she’d played in the previous season in a promising sign for Helmot’s team.
Spin to win as ‘Gades slump to 0-2
Match two: Brisbane Heat won by 28 runs | Allan Border Field
Heat: 8-169 (20)
Renegades: 8-141 (19)
Needing 170 for their first victory of the season, Matthews (35) and Webb (23) gave the Renegades a fast start in the run chase.
The visitors were flying at 0-51 off 5.2 overs until all their good work was undone in a batting collapse of epic proportions. Leg-spinner Grace Parsons (3-22) starred in just her second Big Bash match as the Renegades lost 7-32 in 41 balls.
Stalenberg (38) top-scored, but her runs didn’t mean much as the Heat prevailed in Brisbane.
Back home with hope
Match three: Melbourne Renegades won by six wickets | CitiPower Centre
Scorchers: 140 (19.4)
Renegades: 4-145 (17.4)
Playing their first home match of WBBL|10 at the CitiPower Centre in Melbourne, an impressive bowling display set up a much-needed victory for the Renegades to kickstart their season. Every Scorchers wicket fell to spin as Molineux (4-17), Capsey (2-15), Wareham (2-35) and Matthews (2-21) picked up scalps.
Backing up their 51-run partnership against the Heat with a 102-run stand in this fixture, the Gades’ opening combination of Matthews (41) and Courtney Webb (61) were starting to send a message to the rest of the competition.
Strikers stunned in last-ball classic
Match four: Melbourne Renegades won by two wickets | CitiPower Centre
Strikers: 5-157 (20)
Renegades: 8-158 (20)
Against the defending champions, a sublime skipper’s performance from Molineux (64 off 32 balls and 2-39) helped the ‘Gades even their season win-loss ledger at 2-2 after they overcame a spirited Adelaide Strikers.
Reduced to 3-29 after the Powerplay, the Strikers looked to have the game in control after they removed Wareham (12) in the ninth over of the chase. Coming in at 5-52, Molineux compiled the third-fastest half-century in WBBL history off just 21 balls. Wicketkeeper Faltum (11 not out) then guided her new side home, hitting the winning runs off the final ball of the innings.
Shock loss in low-scoring thriller
Match five: Perth Scorchers won by two runs | WACA Ground
Scorchers: 108 (19.5)
Renegades: 8-106 (20)
Having bowled the Scorchers out for a slender total of 108 in Perth, the Renegades were in the box seat to record an impressive away victory in WBBL|10 thanks to a five-wicket haul from Alice Capsey (5-25). But when it was their time to bat, it all went pear-shaped. Chloe Ainsworth (2-18) picked up two wickets in the first over of the Renegades’ innings, before Australian leg-spinner Alana King (3-23) and New Zealand captain Sophie Devine (2-22) dominated the middle overs.
Dottin (40 off 27 balls) put some life into the game for the Renegades, but her dismissal off the bowling of King proved costly. Needing eight runs off the last over for victory, the ‘Gades could only manage five.
Derby delight
Match six: Melbourne Renegades won by 15 runs | CitiPower Centre
Renegades: 6-146 (20)
Stars: 9-131 (20)
After Molineux was ruled out of the Melbourne Derby with knee soreness, there were concerns for the Renegades leading into their grudge match against the Stars. However, the ‘Gades found an unlikely hero in her replacement player, Charis Bekker (1-9), who took the big wicket of Meg Lanning while bowling 16 dot balls in her four-over spell.
Every Renegades bowler took a wicket as the team starved the Stars of any momentum in their run chase. Undefeated in Melbourne to this stage of the tournament, the Renegades now had their sights set on securing a win on the road in Adelaide.
Rallying ’round the West Indians
Match seven: Melbourne Renegades won by nine wickets | Karen Rolton Oval
Strikers: 8-185 (20)
Renegades: 1-186 (17.1)
Coming into their seventh match of the season with confidence and having already defeated the reigning champions earlier in the season, West Indian duo Matthews (85no off 54 balls) and Dottin (46no off 18 balls) helped the Renegades chase down Adelaide’s total of 185 in just 17.1 overs.
The visitors hit 29 boundaries in a brutal display of power hitting that the hosts had no answer to as the Renegades rose to second in the WBBL|10 standings. Their batting innings of 1-186 remains the second-highest successful run chase in WBBL history.
Comeback queens at the MCG
Match eight: Melbourne Renegades won by nine runs | MCG
Renegades: 6-170 (20)
Stars: 8-161 (20)
In strife at 5-48, Faltum (66 off 42 balls) fired eight boundaries to rescue her side in the season’s second Melbourne Derby at the MCG. Alongside contributions from Wareham (34) and Prestwidge (23no), the Renegades hit 85 runs from their final eight overs to post a competitive total of 6-170.
Sarah Coyte (2-13), Dottin (2-32) and Matthews (2-27) all took big wickets for the ‘Gades, and despite Rhys McKenna’s (34 off 18 balls) best efforts, the Stars yet again fell short of their crosstown rivals’ score. Now 5-3 after eight matches, last season’s cellar dwellers had their sights on the finals in WBBL|10.
Finals secured after a thumping win
Match nine: Melbourne Renegades won by 22 runs | Ninja Stadium
Renegades: 5-150 (20)
Hurricanes: 8-128 (20)
A big win in Tasmania ensured the Renegades would play finals in WBBL|10. Batting first in Hobart, Wareham (69 off 45 balls) posted her career-best score in the WBBL. Combining with Stalenberg (36no), the pair put on an 81-run stand to help the Renegades recover from 4-53 to post 5-150.
Illingworth (1-13) picked up the key wicket of Lizelle Lee for a third-ball duck in the opening over of the run chase and the Hurricanes’ struggles continued from there. Back in the finals for the first time since WBBL|07, the Renegades were now in a position to lock in a top two finish, if they could defeat Sydney Thunder in their last match of the regular season.
Top of the table
Match ten: Melbourne Renegades won by nine wickets | CitiPower Centre
Thunder: 133 (19.1)
Renegades: 1-137 (14.2)
A nine-wicket thrashing of Sydney Thunder ensured the Renegades would host a final in WBBL|10. Impeccable with the ball, Molineux (4-23) and Wareham (2-20) spun a web through the Thunder’s batting order. When it was their time to bat, Matthews (60no off 37 balls) and Molineux (42no off 29 balls) put on an unbeaten 95-run stand to comfortably chase down the target inside 15 overs.
Having boosted their net run-rate, the Renegades sat on top of the table after their 10th and final match of the regular season. It was a position they’d stay in after the Heat couldn’t bridge the NRR gap in their last home-and-away fixture.
With first place on the standings now secure, Helmot’s side had locked in hosting rights for the WBBL|10 Final. Never before in the competition’s 10-year history had the Renegades hosted a season decider, but now they were set to have that opportunity at the MCG.
Fairytale complete
WBBL|10 Final: Melbourne Renegades won by seven runs (DLS Method) | MCG
Renegades: 9-141 (20)
Heat: 6-90 (12/12)
The Renegades’ fairytale journey from the bottom to the top was complete when they won a rain-affected WBBL|10 decider to seal their road to redemption. Not for the first time in the tournament, it was Hayley Matthews (69no off 61 balls) who stepped up with the second-highest score in a WBBL Final to date.
The West Indian also took two crucial wickets with the ball, including that of Laura Harris for a golden duck, as the Renegades ran through the Heat at the MCG. Jess Jonassen (44no off 28 balls) gave the visitors a glimmer of hope, but bowling the final over, Molineux (1-22) held her nerve as she conceded just five runs off the first five balls to deliver a maiden women’s Big Bash trophy to the Renegades.
