Hopes bolts Sixers for Heat in 53-day coaching U-turn
An Australia allrounder turned coach walks away from Sydney’s BBL heavyweights after barely two months on the job, heading to Brisbane with a three-year mandate and a rival’s trophy haul in his sights.
James Hopes has resigned as head coach of the Sydney Sixers just 53 days after his appointment, accepting a three-year deal to lead Queensland Cricket’s men’s programs, including the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. The abrupt departure ends Hopes’ tenure before the Sixers could even take the field under his leadership. A former Australia allrounder with 96 white-ball internationals, Hopes cited a return to Brisbane as the driving force behind the move and the prestige of overseeing Queensland’s Sheffield Shield, One-Day Cup, and BBL teams.
