Adam Voges appointed Seattle Orcas head coach for 2026 MLC season

New Delhi [India], December 3 (ANI): Outgoing Western Australia (WA) head coach Adam Voges is set to take charge of the Seattle Orcas in the next Major League Cricket (MLC) season, adding another chapter to his growing T20 franchise coaching resume, as per ESPNcricinfo.
Voges steps in for fellow Australian Matthew Mott, who was removed after the Orcas lost their first five matches of the 2025 season. With Voges recently announcing that he will step down as WA's head coach at the end of the domestic season, there had been strong speculation that he would join an MLC side.
"I am very excited to be joining the Seattle Orcas for the upcoming season," Voges said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"The MLC competition continues to grow and I look forward to working with the owners, players and staff to help bring success both on and off the field," he noted.
Since replacing Justin Langer in 2018, Voges has overseen a remarkable period of dominance for WA and has often been viewed as a potential successor to Australia head coach Andrew McDonald, whose current deal runs till 2027. McDonald has already hinted that he may not seek an extension after taking charge in early 2022.
Voges has previously coached Australia A and has had stints with the national team setup as well.
For now, he is keen to broaden his coaching experience through the T20 franchise circuit. As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Voges has also linked up with Trent Rockets in the Hundred as an assistant coach.
WA Cricket continues to hold discussions with Voges about staying on as Perth Scorchers head coach in the Big Bash League (BBL), a role in which he guided the team to consecutive titles in BBL11 and BBL12. Voges also lifted the trophy twice as Scorchers captain.
Assistant coaches Beau Casson and Tim MacDonald are expected to be among the contenders to take over as WA's next head coach.
Averaging had an exceptional 61.87 average from 20 Tests, Voges will now shoulder the responsibility of reviving the Orcas, who have struggled since reaching the final in MLC's inaugural season. Across the 2024-25 cycle, the franchise managed only four wins in 17 outings.
"We are thrilled to welcome Adam Voges to the Seattle Orcas family," Orcas chief Hemant Dua said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
"He brings a proven pedigree of winning, a distinctive ability to develop world-class talent, and a deep understanding of the nuances of T20 franchise cricket," he added.
"His dominant run with Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers speaks to his expertise. We believe Adam's calm demeanor, tactical intelligence, and commitment to building a high-performance culture will be pivotal as we aim for the Major League Cricket title," he noted.
"We are building something special in Seattle, and Adam is undoubtedly the right person to lead the charge," he said.
The Orcas are co-owned by GMR Group and JSW Sports, who also jointly own the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women's Premier League (WPL), in addition to teams in SA20 (Pretoria Capitals) and the International League T20 (ILT20) (Dubai Capitals). (ANI)