Stars can drive foes real Batty

MELBOURNE Stars hope title-winning Englishman Jonathan Batty can lead them to a long-awaited WBBL title after appointing him as coach.

Batty, 48, is the coach of Surrey in the UK and guided the Oval Invincibles to the women’s The Hundred title last year.

He will be the fourth Stars coach in four seasons, and will take charge of a team boasting Australian captain Meg Lanning, which had made the WBBL finals just once in seven seasons.

“I can’t wait to get started, having watched the competition from afar for a number of years,” Batty said.

“To be a part of a team like the Melbourne Stars and work with such a talented squad, who are led by some outstanding world-class players, was a fantastic opportunity that I wanted to be a part of.

“I can’t wait to work with an outstanding captain in Meg Lanning.

“I’m looking forward to getting to Melbourne, meeting the squad, getting to know them, the fans and the city and hopefully have some success later this year.”

Batty, a former first-class cricketer with Surrey and Gloucestershire, replaces Jarrad Loughman, who was let go in March.