Twenty20 star Evan Gulbis punished after big night on the town

MELBOURNE Stars all-rounder Evan Gulbis has been axed from his New Zealand T20 team after having a night on the town.

Evan Gulbis, Stars. Big Bash cricket under lights at Simonds Stadium. Melbourne Renegades V Melbourne Stars. Picture: Peter Ristevski

MELBOURNE Stars all-rounder Evan Gulbis will return home to Australia to prepare for the BBL having been axed by his New Zealand Twenty20 team for a late night out before a match last weekend.

Wellington on Friday announced Gulbis, who was on a short-term contract, and former England fast bowler Jade Dernbach would depart the Firebirds for the team protocol breach.

Gulbis and Dernbach enjoyed a night out in Nelson before their match against Central Districts last Sunday, and the pair were Wellington’s two most expensive bowlers at Saxton Oval.

Cricket Wellington and Firebirds management deemed Dernbach and Gulbis should be stood down for their home game against Auckland on Thursday when last-placed Wellington lodged their first win of the T20 season.

That match was to be Gulbis’ last for the Firebirds before returning to Melbourne for the start of the Stars’ BBL campaign against Hobart on Boxing Day. In three match for the Firebirds, medium-pacer Gulbis returned figures of 1-25, 0-36 and 0-37 and added scores of 18 and 10 not out with the bat. Cricket Wellington chief executive Peter Clinton confirmed both players are returning home.

Gulbis in action against the Scorchers.

“Everyone’s disappointed. We expect all of our cricketers to prepare in a professional way for a match and at all other times, training and recovery and any other requirements,” Clinton told ESPN.com. “So we’re all disappointed and none more so I’d imagine than the players involved.

“They were both not considered for selection for yesterday’s game because we were unhappy about how they prepared for the Nelson match. He (Dernbach) wasn’t selected in the travelling 12 for Auckland so, as I understand it, he went away yesterday evening, considered his options and came back this morning and said in the circumstances ‘I’m looking for a release to return to England.’ We gave that some thought and decided that was a fair request and probably a good outcome for everybody.”

Dernbach was contracted until the end of the season, and his request for a release had been granted.

Wellington won’t seek replacements for the pair, who had struggled to make an impact in the first two weeks of the championship.

Originally published as Twenty20 star Evan Gulbis punished after big night on the town