Victorian academy gets new coach

Simon Helmot has been named the Victorian Cricket Academy coach, a newly-created position as part of the state's revamped high-performance structure. Helmot, a former club cricketer in Melbourne and coach of the ACT Comets, will be in charge of Victoria's male and female elite pathway squads and will coach the men's Under-19 team.

Helmot's coaching career began when he led two Melbourne grade sides, Hawthorn-Waverley and Fitzroy Doncaster, to premierships before moving to Canberra. He was handed the reins of the Prime Minister's XI, which crushed England by 166 runs in the lead-up to the Ashes last November.

Tony Dodemaide, Cricket Victoria's chief executive, said Helmot was the ideal candidate for the new role despite not having first-class playing experience. "Simon has an excellent record as a coach and leader," Dodemaide said. "He has proved to be extremely talented, innovative and enthusiastic."

Helmot said he was indebted to ACT Cricket for giving him the chance to develop his coaching skills but was keen to return to Victoria.