By Lee Gaskin
Former ACT Comets coach Mark Higgs will look for opportunities outside of cricket after effectively being sacked from his high performance coaching role with Cricket ACT.
Higgs was made redundant at the end of May, but his departure wasn't announced by Cricket ACT.
Cricket ACT has parted ways with former ACT Comets coach Mark Higgs.Credit: Jeffrey Chan
Cricket ACT announced on August 6 that Sydney Thunder batsman Aiden Blizzard had been appointed as the director of coaching and education.
But it wasn't until early September that Blizzard was announced as the coach of the ACT Comets.
Blizzard will be a player/coach for the Comets in the first game of the Sydney Twenty20 competition against Northern Districts at Mark Taylor Oval on Sunday.
Higgs had spent the past "seven or eight years" in a coaching capacity with the Comets, starting off in an assistant coaching role while still playing, before taking on the head coaching position.
Higgs said he was surprised to be told he was being made redundant.
"I don't know what the reasons for their decisions were, it wasn't performance based," Higgs said.
"It was tough at the time. Like any organisation, it needs a refresh at times as well.
"I was disappointed that I just walked out the door after years of service, but mate, that's business isn't it."
Higgs was responsible for Cricket ACT's high performance squads - the Comets and their under-19s programs.
He was one of two Cricket ACT staff members to be made redundant after the appointment of new chief executive Cameron French in March.
The other was high performance analyst Matt William.
In an emailed statement, French said the changes were made to have an increased focus on junior development.
"In May this year the board and management of Cricket ACT decided that a new direction was required for the high performance program," French said.
"As a result two roles were made redundant as the focus was shifted to the development of grade and junior coaches along with the introduction of intensive individualised programs for under-14 to under-19 players.
"Mark made a sizeable contribution to cricket in the ACT, both as a player and a coach, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavours."
Higgs is making a playing comeback with Queanbeyan in the Cricket ACT first-grade competition.
He also has his Monarch Cricket private coaching academy and is taking a team to Nepal in September next year.
"We're doing a cricket and trekking tour, so we will go up to the Himalayas and play against some of the local teams there," Higgs said.
"I've been doing private coaching just to tick along more than anything, but I'm looking to get into the private sector.
"It's weird because I've been in cricket for 20 years, so I want to try and look at different avenues."
Higgs played 38 first-class games for NSW and South Australia, averaging 32 with the bat and taking 31 wickets at 56 with the ball.
The left-arm orthodox spinner also had a stint with the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2012-13 Big Bash League.