Struggling Orcas cut ties with coach Mott; Klaasen steps down as captain

Dallas, June 28 (IANS) A struggling Seattle Orcas have parted ways with head coach Matthew Mott midway through the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season, with the team currently languishing at bottom half of the table after six matches.

According to an official statement on the MLC website, the decision was made due to “differences in coaching and management strategies".

In another shake-up, captain Heinrich Klaasen has stepped down to focus on his batting, with Zimbabwean all-rounder Sikandar Raza taking over the leadership duties.

"This is a moment of reflection and renewal for the Seattle Orcas. This has been a tough run for the team, and with it, some difficult decisions had to be made. We are grateful to Matthew for his commitment and professionalism during his time with us, and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours," said Hemant Dua, CEO of the team.

"We respect Heinrich's decision to step down voluntarily as captain to focus on his batting. This reflects his character and team-first mindset. Sikandar was our unanimous choice once we heard from Klassen about his decision. We believe these changes set the stage for a strong second half of the season."

After finishing at the top of the table and making it to the final in 2023, the Orcas endured a last-place finish in 2024. This season has followed a similar trajectory, with the team once again languishing at the bottom. However, they managed to secure their first win of the season against MI New York on Saturday. Shimron Hetmyer played an unbeaten knock of 97 off 40 balls laced with nine sixes to chase 238 with a last ball maximum to end the 10-match losing streak.

--IANS

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