Ian Healy likens ACA to union, says they are devaluing the game
IAN Healy has taken aim at the ACA for driving Mark Taylor out of the game and not taking their share of responsibility for the cultural train wreck that’s destroyed Australian cricket.
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PRESSURE is mounting on Players’ boss Greg Dyer to resign after Ian Healy slammed the Australian Cricketers Association for devaluing the game.
After former Test captain Ian Chappell used his News Corp column to call on Dyer to step down, Healy took aim at the ACA for driving Mark Taylor out of the game and not taking their share of responsibility for the cultural train wreck that’s destroyed Australian cricket.
Healy accused the ACA of being blinded by its campaigning for players and not being able to see what’s in the best interests of the game.
“(Taylor) was just exasperated, as is Michael Kasprowicz, the other former cricketer on the board, with the players’ association. They’re just refusing to engage and refusing to have the heart of the game as their priority,” said Healy on Nine’s Sports Sunday program.
“They’ve still got the heart of the playing body as their priority whereas they need to come around to the game a little bit more.
“They’re behaving like a union, which we don’t want, we want them to be a collective body that really values the game.
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“For Mark Taylor to lose so much energy to have dealt with that and not see any improvement, it can’t be good.”
Dyer is greatly respected by the playing group for the way he stood up to Cricket Australia.
But there is a growing feeling even amongst some players that perhaps a change is needed in the interests of giving the game a fresh start.
Dyer’s supporters say he’s a man of integrity who won’t want to stay around if it’s counter-productive to the game moving on.
Healy was also critical of Cricket Australia, and said their biggest crime was not listening to outside voices and criticism.
Meanwhile, the wicketkeeping great said Steve Smith should be allowed to captain Australia again from the moment his ban ends and also believes the fallen skipper and David Warner should be permitted to play in the Sheffield Shield from February.
“We’ve got a new CEO, we’ve had a cultural review … I think the new CEO and board could maybe justify bringing them back into Sheffield Shield or Big Bash,” Healy said on Nine.
“I think Steve Smith can definitely come back (as captain) … I would bring him back straight away.”
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Originally published as Ian Healy likens ACA to union, says they are devaluing the game