Johan Botha steps down as Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls coach in 2026

Johan Botha has resigned as coach of the Brisbane Heat and Queensland Bulls after two seasons in charge.

Botha's coaching record Despite leading Queensland to third place in both the Sheffield Shield and One-Day Cup during his tenure, Johan Botha's position faced ongoing scrutiny. The team also reached the Sheffield Shield final in his first season of 2024-25. In the Big Bash League, the Heat showed limited progress, ending fifth and seventh over two campaigns after winning the title in 2023-24 under former coach Wade Seccombe. ## Official announcement and reaction Queensland Cricket confirmed Botha's resignation on Tuesday through a formal statement. CEO Terry Svenson acknowledged that while certain on-field objectives were not met, Botha played a key role in nurturing young talent for both the Queensland Bulls and Brisbane Heat. The organization expressed gratitude for his contributions across the Sheffield Shield, One-Day Cup, and BBL competitions. ## Coach's background and department changes Botha, a former offspinner for South Africa and South Australia, joined a reshaped high-performance team at Queensland Cricket following Joe Dawes' appointment as high-performance manager in late 2023, taking over from Bennett King. Dawes' brief tenure was marked by conflict, including a public disagreement with Queensland and Australia batter Usman Khawaja, before his dismissal earlier this year. Bennett King was then reinstated to his former role. ## Recent coaching transitions in BBL and state teams Botha's exit marks the third coaching change in the BBL and state cricket this year. Greg Shipperd was removed from his dual roles with New South Wales and Sydney Sixers, despite having a year left on his contract. Brad Haddin has since been named the new NSW coach, while James Hopes takes charge of the Sixers. Sydney Thunder also parted ways with Trevor Bayliss after five seasons, appointing Andrew Flintoff as his replacement this week. ## Western Australia leadership shift Adam Voges resigned from his position as Western Australia coach after eight years, during which he secured three Sheffield Shield and four One-Day Cup titles. Beau Casson, his assistant, will take over the role in the upcoming season. Voges will continue as coach of the Perth Scorchers. ## Melbourne BBL coaching uncertainty Cricket Victoria announced plans to merge the administration of Melbourne Stars and Renegades, with a potential sale of the Renegades' franchise license in 2026. If a private buyer is not secured in time, the Renegades may compete for one more season in their current structure.