“I wrestled with this decision as I was, and still am, very appreciative of being offered the Sixers role earlier this year,” Hopes said. “However, to have the opportunity to take on the head coaching programme with Queensland and live in Brisbane again was too good to miss.
“I have been in and out of Queensland Cricket since I was 14 and along the way was privileged to play for the Bulls and the Heat. So, to be a part of that again is something very special to me and my family.”
In a statement, Sixers said, “While the Club is disappointed by this decision, we understand the significance of this opportunity for him and his family, and we wish him all the very best. The Sydney Sixers were impressed by the calibre of coaches who applied for the role, and we look forward to progressing with the appointment of our new BBL head coach.”
“James is the right person to guide and develop our players, especially the exciting young talent that Queensland Cricket is producing. He has proven leadership skills, has demonstrated his ability to build relationships and trust which benefits team performance, and brings extensive and up to date cricket knowledge and insights to his coaching”
Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson
Hopes was the 49th captain of Queensland and led them to the Sheffield Shield title in 2012 as well as back-to-back one-day titles in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He is currently working under Ricky Ponting at Washington Freedom in MLC and, prior to taking the Sixers job, had been part of Hobart Hurricanes when they won their maiden BBL title and also worked with Tasmania. He has also held coaching roles in the IPL, most recently as an assistant to Ponting at Punjab Kings.
Despite getting close to bringing Paine into the role, Queensland Cricket CEO Terry Svenson said Hopes was the right fit. “James is the right person to guide and develop our players, especially the exciting young talent that Queensland Cricket is producing,” he said. “He has proven leadership skills, has demonstrated his ability to build relationships and trust which benefits team performance, and brings extensive and up to date cricket knowledge and insights to his coaching.
“We believe our male programme is building towards something special and are confident James will help to create an environment that will generate success. He will bring clarity, professionalism and maturity to our high-performance environment, and we are excited at what lies ahead for the Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat.”
Paine, meanwhile, will continue as Adelaide Strikers head coach in the BBL and his work with Australia A.
There has been considerable movement in state and BBL coaching circles in recent months. Beau Casson has replaced Adam Voges at Western Australia and Brad Haddin has taken up the New South Wales job after Greg Shipperd was sacked.
In the BBL, Sydney Thunder have appointed Andrew Flintoff to replace Trevor Bayliss while the two Melbourne sides remain in a state of flux following Cricket Victoria’s announcement about merging Stars and Renegades earlier this month.
Cameron White, who was head coach of Renegades, is expected to move to Stars, leaving Renegades needing a replacement for what will likely be their final season in the competition. Renegades also need to fill the head coach vacancy in the WBBL set-up after Simon Helmot stepped down.
