MLC 2025: Heinrich Klaasen steps down as Seattle Orcas captain, franchise parts ways with coach Mott

The Seattle Orcas have announced major leadership changes midway through the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) season. The head coach Matthew Mott has parted ways with the franchise after a string of five consecutive defeats. The decision was described by the team as a result of differences in coaching and management strategies.

The team also confirmed that former South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen has stepped down from the captaincy and will now focus solely on his role as a batter for the remainder of the season. Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been appointed as the new captain of the side. The Seatlle Orcas emphasised that these decisions were part of an effort to recalibrate the team’s direction for the rest of the tournament.

"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 endeavors," Hemant Dua, Orcas chief executive, said in a statement as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

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Mott had taken charge of the Seattle Orcas ahead of the ongoing season, but a replacement for the head coach has not yet been named. Rishi Bhardwaj continues to serve as the assistant coach, while Ian Bell and Munaf Patel oversee the batting and bowling departments, respectively.

On the field, the team has struggled to find consistency. While batting first, they have posted scores of 145 for 9, 200 for 5, and 177 for 6 - totals that did not prove enough to secure wins. However, their chasing performances have been significantly more concerning, as they were bowled out for just 60 and 144 in the two matches where they batted second.

Klaasen has endured a poor run of form and managed only 55 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 144.73. Raza has not fared much better with the bat, scoring just 35 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 85.36. However, he was named captain as a unanimous choice by the management.

"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," said Dua.

The team’s current struggles follow a decline in form since their debut season. After topping the table and reaching the final of the inaugural MLC in 2023, where they finished runners-up to MI New York, the team dropped to the bottom of the standings in the 2024 edition. Wayne Parnell had captained the side during their 2023 campaign, with Klaasen taking over the leadership in 2024.

The franchise is co-owned by the GMR Group and JSW Sports, who also jointly own the Delhi Capitals in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Their ventures also extend to the SA20 league (Pretoria Capitals) and UAE’s ILT20 (Dubai Capitals).

Several support staff members, including bowling coach Munaf and Venugopal Rao (General Manager – Cricket Operations), are part of the shared backroom setup across these franchises.