Bushrangers and VicSpirit appoint assistant coaches

Stevens will be assistant coach of the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers and will also take charge of one of Melbourne’s two Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) teams while Rolton has been chosen as an assistant coach of the Commonwealth Bank VicSpirit and one of the WBBL sides, as well as a female state selector.

After retiring from his first-class career where he represented South Australia and Queensland from 2005 to 2007, Stevens worked as Queensland’s assistant coach from 2008 to 2010, before landing the assistant coach role for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers in 2011.

He was subsequently appointed head coach for both teams after Mickey Arthur was appointed to the Australian position in 2011 and took the Scorchers to the BBL|01 Final.

Cricket Victoria general manager of cricket Shaun Graf said that Stevens was the perfect assistant for new Bushrangers coach David Saker.

“Lachlan has a great background with coaching roles in two states and we felt with that experience he would be an enormous help to David Saker who is new to the head coach role,” Graf said.

“We also thought it was a great fit for Lachlan to take charge of one of the WBBL teams given his past role coaching the Perth Scorchers.”

One of Australia’s finest ever players, Rolton averaged 48.14 in 141 one-day internationals from 1995 to 2009.

Since retiring from international cricket, she has performed coaching roles with South Australia’s under-18s, Port Adelaide and Essendon Maribyrnong Park.

“Karen wants further involvement in the VicSpirit program after being a specialist coach and a talent scout last season,” Graf said.

“She knows our high performance system and will form a great combination with new VicSpirit coach David Hemp.”