Michael Klinger, the former Australia batter and current director of cricket at Major League Cricket side Washington Freedom, has accepted a two-year deal with Welsh Fire that combines a senior management brief with the head-coach role for the Women’s Hundred team.
The move tightens the connection between Glamorgan, who run the Welsh Fire operation, and Washington Freedom. Earlier this year Freedom’s owner, US tech entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, purchased a 49 per cent stake in the Cardiff-based franchise as part of the ECB’s equity sale.
Klinger will keep his Washington post and work alongside Fire general manager Mark Wallace on player recruitment across both men’s and women’s squads. Gareth Breese, who guided the women’s side to last season’s final, stays on as assistant coach, while fellow Australian Mike Hussey continues in charge of the men’s outfit.
The 45-year-old brings plenty of white-ball experience. Last summer he led Manchester Originals Women; previous stints include Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League, Melbourne Renegades in the BBL and Sydney Thunder Women in the WBBL.
“I’m thrilled to be taking on an expanded role with Welsh Fire, leading list management for both the men’s and women’s teams, alongside being Head Coach of the Women’s side,” Klinger said. “I’d like to thank Manchester Originals for the opportunity to work with them last year. It was a fantastic and rewarding experience for which I’m very grateful.
“This new role allows me to combine coaching with a broader strategic focus and to continue strengthening my connections with the Washington Freedom organisation, as well as with the current management and coaches at Welsh Fire.”
Club chief executive Dan Cherry believes the appointment fits the franchise’s long-term plan. “We’re thrilled to welcome Michael to the Welsh Fire family. From his career to date, Michael’s experience, pedigree and enthusiasm matches our long-term strategic vision of ambition and success for the franchise.
“Michael adds real quality to our recruitment and coaching capabilities, while his arrival allows Mark to focus directly on implementing our wider cricket strategy. We are hopeful that Gareth Breese will stay on to support Michael after leading the team to the final in 2024.
“It’s great also to continue our partnership with Mike Hussey. Mike is an outstanding leader who has made great strides with our Men’s team in recent years. We are all excited for this new chapter as we maximise our partnership with Sanjay Govil and his team to take progressive steps forward on and off the field.”
Analysis
For Welsh Fire, continuity and fresh thinking arrive together. Keeping Hussey and Breese maintains dressing-room stability; adding Klinger introduces a coach experienced in short-form tactics and accustomed to roster building—work called “list management” in Australia.
The broader objective is clear: use the Freedom investment to tap into US resources while offering American players a pathway into The Hundred, a competition still fine-tuning its identity. Klinger’s dual role on both sides of the Atlantic should smooth that exchange and, Fire hope, push their women’s side one step beyond last season’s runners-up spot.
