New San Francisco Unicorns coach Cameron White on his Australia ambitions, MLC and BBL privatisation

With Australia about to go on a hectic run of non-stop cricket over the next 18 months, it feels like the last dance for a team that has won almost all major titles and, perhaps most importantly for their fans, not lost an Ashes series over the past decade.

While the focus will be on the twilight of their legendary players, understated Australia coach Andrew McDonald is likely also nearing the end of a highly successful run in the top job that started controversially when he took over from Justin Langer in 2022.

McDonald is contracted through to next year’s World Cup, which is set to be his swansong. Adam Voges and Chris Rogers have for some time been tipped as successors to McDonald after strong coaching performances in Australian domestic cricket.

Other candidates could emerge such as Cameron White, who like Voges will further his coaching experience in this season’s Major League Cricket in the US. After the departure of compatriot Shane Watson, White has been promoted to head coach of San Francisco Unicorns as I first reported in January.

White will juggle the responsibilities with his role as head coach of Melbourne Renegades, who last season finished second last on the BBL ladder in his second year in charge.

Despite a tough start to his Renegades reign, White has long been highly touted for his tactical nous and player management style having started his coaching career with assistant roles at Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Sixers.

If he can guide Unicorns to a maiden title and lift Renegades off the dregs, White, a protege of mastermind coach Greg Shipperd, may emerge in the national frame especially if Australia’s hierarchy consider split coaching among formats.

“For sure,” White told Cricket Financial Journal when asked if he hoped to coach Australia one day. “I guess in the coaching world, you are mad to turn down any opportunities that may come up. You’re always looking to improve and adapt as a coach like you are as a player.

“So seeing different environments, getting different experiences can only hold you in good stead as a coach.”

White’s immediate task will be putting a stamp on Unicorns, who had unsuccessful playoff runs in 2024 and 2025. He already has a good feel of the franchise having been Watson’s right hand man previously.

“I don’t think there’ll be a whole heap of change. I think we won our first six games last year and we’ve got a very similar lineup this year,” White said.

“Just keeping the squad healthy and adjusting our tactics will be a focus. Conditions will change throughout the tournament and there is a new ground in Los Angeles now that we will have to adjust to.”

Underlining Unicorns’ recruitment strategy since inception, their squad is brimming with versatility and x-factors, including in-form Australians Cooper Connolly and Aaron Hardie who have been lighting it up in the IPL and PSL respectively.

“The beauty with our squad that we’ve put together, we can pick a lot of different teams to suit opponents and conditions. We’re pretty flexible and that’s something I really like about the squad,” White said.

“We’ve brought in Aaron Hardie this year, who’s just starred in the PSL final and can bat through the top six and also bowl in different phases. Players like that give us a lot of flexibility.”

Fitting given they are owned by venture capitalists Anand Rajaraman and Venky Harinarayan, Unicorns have embraced their Silicon Valley roots and focused on cutting edge AI technology while also striving to build around young stars.

Unicorns last year kick-started Connolly’s overseas T20 franchise career and this season will do likewise with 19-year-old rising star Oliver Peake, who is set to make his international debut during Australia’s upcoming ODI tour of Pakistan.

“Will be a great experience for him to be here with the Unicorns around some of the world’s best players,” White said of Peake, who he coaches at the Renegades. “So whatever role he plays, I think it’s exciting for him and the team.”

The fourth edition of MLC starts on June 18 with Unicorns making their season debut the following day against Los Angeles Knight Riders in Dallas.

The Unicorns are set to have a significant home ground advantage with the famous Coliseum hosting a block of games from June 24-28 before being the site of the playoffs culminating in the final on July 18.

Located near Interstate 880, with its stunning views of the Oakland hills in the backdrop, the old warhorse of the Coliseum helped reel in the punters last season and develop a brand for Unicorns.

“We made 269 in the first game in Oakland, so the brand of cricket that is played at the Coliseum is great for the development and the interest in the game here,” White said with Finn Allen, who is returning to Unicorns, smashing a world record 19 sixes during his 151-run knock against Washington in the aforementioned match.

“Curators did a great job getting that surface to a very high standard, which allowed for that type of cricket to be played and that suits us as we have a very powerful batting order.”

While the international stars and the marquee signing of Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin will hog the headlines, White is especially excited about developing homegrown American players led by rising US star Sanjay Krishnamurthi.

“I think the key in these leagues is the strength of your domestic local players, which often dictates how you go in the tournament,” White said. “I think the US team will only get stronger as the MLC develops and gets stronger as a league in general.”

While he focuses on the Unicorns amid the Australian off-season, the BBL privatisation talks have dominated the headlines back home. Cricket Victoria has expressed support for a privatised model with Renegades deemed a chance of possibly being entirely sold off if it was to ensue.

“I’m hoping that privatisation definitely is a thing for the BBL. I just think that it’ll be great for everyone involved,” White said. “I think it’s a piece of the puzzle that potentially will help the BBL, bring a whole new lease of life, not only into the BBL but access to players and all sorts of things.

“What that means for the Renegades and me as head coach, I’m not 100% sure. But I think for the betterment of the BBL going forward, hopefully it happens in some way, shape or form.”

While there is still a lot of uncertainty over that, White will be spending the next couple of months far away and amid the world’s biggest sports market where cricket is starting to make a mark.

“It’s exciting to be involved in this landscape and in this tournament,” he said. “I think this tournament is only growing. I can’t wait for the MLC to start.”