Victoria reappoint Shipperd for two more years

Greg Shipperd has been reappointed as Victoria's coach for a further two years after leading the Bushrangers to the Sheffield Shield title last summer. Shipperd, who took over as coach following the death of David Hookes in January 2004, has had his contract extended until the end of the 2010-11 season.

He guided Victoria to the Pura Cup in that 2003-04 summer and while another four-day title did not arrive for five years, the Bushrangers have been a powerful team during that time. Several players have been promoted to Australian duties, including Peter Siddle and Andrew McDonald, and the state had a lock on the Twenty20 competition until last summer.

"There's always things left to do," Shipperd said after learning of his contract extension. "It is about continuing the consistency, continuing to prepare Australian players - Clinton McKay, Jon Holland, young Matthew Wade, to name three off the top of my head there - players who are very close to taking that next step to Australian selection."

Cricket Victoria's chief executive Tony Dodemaide said Shipperd had done a terrific job in helping Victoria succeed in all three formats. "Shippy has guided the team through a particularly successful period over the past four or five seasons," Dodemaide said, "including the unprecedented achievement of being finalists in all three competitions for the past two years running."

Shipperd's assistant coach Simon Helmot, who is currently in England helping Australia's Ashes campaign, has also been handed a two-year contract extension. Shawn Flegler, the former Victoria spinner, has been appointed to Helmot's former role as coach of the Victorian High Performance Academy.