Blair Crouch, after his four-year tenure has stepped down as the General Manager of the Melbourne Stars stating that it is time for new leadership to take the club forward. He took on this role in May 2021 and his resignation can be attributed to Star’s underwhelming performance over the past eight seasons of BBL and WBBL combined.

Melbourne Stars boasted a star-studded lineup featuring some of the well-known names in both men’s and women’s cricket, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Annabel Sutherland, Meg Lanning to name a few. Despite this, they have failed to stand up to the expectations, reaching the finals only once during Crouch’s tenure.
Crouch reflected on his time at the club, noting that he joined during the height of the pandemic and expressing pride in how both the Stars and the league have flourished this season. He credited this success to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved during his tenure. “The time has come for someone else to steer the ship and I wish nothing but the best for the Stars and I look forward to being in the stands in WBBL|11 and BBL|15.”- He said.
The Melbourne Stars are yet to appoint a new women’s head coach after parting ways with Jonathan Batty following their disappointing WBBL|10 campaign. He took over from Jarrad Loughman ahead of WBBL|08 however, the team’s performance steadily declined under him.
In the 2022-23 season, WBBL|08, they finished at sixth still failing to secure a spot in the finals. In WBBL|09 (2023-24), the Stars ended the season at the 7th spot losing eight of their matches. The most recent season, WBBL|10 (2024-25), concluded with the Stars finishing at the bottom, with just two victories.
On the other hand, despite a strong finish in the last season, the Stars’ men’s squad remains a work in progress, missing out on key signings while losing Beau Webster to the Hurricanes. Head coach Peter Moores emphasized the need for further squad development as they aim for a better start in BBL|15.
The Stars remain the only Big Bash club yet to win a men’s or women’s championship in the league’s history. Meanwhile, Crouch will continue in his role until his notice period ends, as Cricket Victoria begins the search for a new general manager in the coming months.

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