Cricket NSW in a state of crisis as Australian legend Michael Bevan knocks back chance to coach

Having been trumpeted as the saviour of a failing Sheffield Shield powerhouse, Australian great Michael Bevan has pulled the pin in an embarrassing blow.

Two months after Cricket NSW trumpeted the signing of Michael Bevan, the Australian great has confirmed he will not be coming on board to help coach his former State.

The game’s greatest finisher has declared the embattled Blues “won’t be receiving the magical Bevo ‘finishing’ methodology” this year.

As revealed by this masthead earlier this week, no deal had actually been finalised with Bevan to join the embattled Blues as a batting consultant this season, and now he has taken to social media to declare he’s decided against taking on a role.

NSW are coming off chastening back-to-back losses to South Australia and Victoria to continue a drought of 15 Sheffield Shield matches without a victory, and Bevan indicated he didn’t feel comfortable being injected mid-season.

This was after NSW had announced on September 1 that they had secured Bevan’s services.

“It was announced pre season that I would be working with (Cricket NSW) as a batting consultant – to date this hasn’t happened,” Bevan said on X.

Former Australia and NSW star Michael Bevan has officially knocked back the Blues. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“Given the timing, I feel it is important that the current coaches are afforded every opportunity to stamp their quality and be allowed to guide cricket NSW back to a position of strength within (Australian cricket).

“Unfortunately this means, this year they won’t be receiving the magical Bevo ‘finishing’ methodology.”

Domestic cricket news;

It was announced pre season that I would be working with @CricketNSW as a batting consultant  - to date, this hasn't happened.

1/3 👇

— Michael Bevan (@mbevan12) November 1, 2023

It’s an embarrassing blow for NSW who had unveiled Bevan as a prized coaching recruit.

“No one at Cricket NSW was happy with what happened last season and we have now taken steps to turn things around, with the aim to build consistent success,” NSW chief executive Lee Germon said back in September.

“… Now, by bringing in the collective experience and world class skills of Michael Bevan and Shane Watson, we have added to our off-field support structure.”

NSW batsman Matthew Gilkes departs during their recent loss to Victoria. NSW are on a 15 game winless streak. Picture: Getty

As recently as Monday, the Blues were still desperately hoping to convince Bevan to come on board.

“We’ll definitely look to have Bevan’s input to the group. Not because of the way the last two Shield games have gone but because we value that connection to those great players,” NSW cricket chief, Greg Mail said.

“I spoke to Bev in pre-season about getting involved. We haven’t got that off the ground yet. But I do want that to happen.”

NSW will on Saturday take on Western Australia in a one-day Cup match before early next week trying to rescue their Shield season against the undefeated Warriors.

There is mounting tension within the NSW camp and pressure building for Blues administrators as the once powerhouse state fights to turn the ship around.

NSW, and captain Moises Henriques (C), will be desperate for a turnaround this weekend when they face Western Australia. Picture: Getty

SHIELD CRICKET CRISIS: WHY AUSTRALIA SHOULD BE CONCERNED

The former great heralded to help lead the rescue operation at Cricket NSW still hasn’t agreed to terms as Australia’s most important nursery fades further into the abyss.

NSW trumpeted the return of Michael Bevan as a high profile batting consultant for this summer, but with another Sheffield Shield season already teetering, it turns out the run-scoring maestro is yet to be signed up.

Embarrassing back-to-back losses to South Australia, the competition’s perennial battlers, and Victoria has heaped enormous pressure on NSW administrators who had tried to implement change after last year’s winless season but must now be wondering whether the shake-up went far enough.

NSW announced on September 1 as part of a restructure aimed at “reinvigorating” the Blues, that Bevan would return to the fold as a specialised batting consultant and Shane Watson to offer mentor and mindset training.

“No one at Cricket NSW was happy with what happened last season and we have now taken steps to turn things around, with the aim to build consistent success,” NSW chief executive Lee Germon said at the time.

“… Now, by bringing in the collective experience and world class skills of Michael Bevan and Shane Watson, we have added to our off-field support structure.”

Cricket New South Wales is in a bit of a mess. Picture: Getty Images

Watson impressed with his work in the pre-season before he headed to India to commentate on the World Cup, but a deal with Bevan hasn’t materialised at this point.

Bevan told this masthead that he’s still in discussions with NSW to see if there is a role both parties can agree will benefit the batting group and Blues’ cricket performance chief Greg Mail also remains hopeful.

“We’ll definitely look to have Bevan’s input to the group. Not because of the way the last two Shield games have gone but because we value that connection to those great players,” Mail said.

“I spoke to Bev in pre-season about getting involved. We haven’t got that off the ground yet. But I do want that to happen.”

It might be too late to save this season, after NSW was bowled out for 102 (its lowest ever score at the MCG) with tail ender Jackson Bird top scoring against Victoria with 29.

NSW administrators led by Chairman John Knox were paramount in the rissoling of former Cricket Australia Chair Earl Eddings a couple of years’ back, but the irony is CA would now be entitled to ask questions about what’s gone wrong in the high performance department at the Blues.

Players born and bred in NSW continue to dominate the current Australian side (six of the World Cup XI, plus Sean Abbott and Tanveer Sangha on the bench), but the worry is for the next batch off the production line and what the Blues’ struggles might mean for the national team in a few years’ time when a changing of the guard takes place.

NSW’s drought of 15 consecutive Sheffield Shield matches without a win might seem on the surface like a state issue, but many fear it’s quietly escalating into a potential crisis for Australian cricket and the Australian team.

“Normally when NSW cricket is strong, Australian cricket is strong as well,” Test great, Mark Waugh said.

“That’s the saying, and it’s been pretty true over the years.

New South Wales are in a form slump. Picture: Getty Images

“NSW has provided a lot of Test match players and Australian players, and they have at the moment, there’s obviously a lot, but it’s the next group that’s a bit of a concern.

“It’s a little bit concerning I must admit.”

The alarm bells aren’t ringing because of a lack of talent in NSW, but around how talent is being developed and fostered at State level.

NSW have an 18-year-old prodigy in the pipeline called Sam Konstas who is being dubbed one of the best natural talents since Michael Clarke.

But even if the Blues wanted to blood Konstas this summer, is it the right circumstances to be bringing him in?

When the likes of David Warner and Steve Smith retire it might have been hoped NSW green shoots like Jason Sangha and Ollie Davies would be in line to replace them … but as it stands their spots and the places of Australia’s ageing fast bowling ranks will instead be filled by a stack of West Australians … the state that has clearly usurped NSW as the new benchmark.

The swagger and ruthlessness that made NSW in equal parts hated and feared by rivals has evaporated.

Adding insult to injury is a NSW off cut like Nathan McAndrew (10 wickets for South Australia against his home state), deemed not good enough to make it in the big smoke, yet playing elsewhere with a zest and fight this Blues team has been sadly lacking for some time.

After last year’s failed season claimed the scalps of coach Phil Jaques and captain Kurtis Patterson, NSW decided to turn to the old Sydney Sixers’ firm of 66-year-old coach Greg Shipperd and 36-year-old skipper Moises Henriques to try and turn the ship around.

Henriques has commendably shouldered responsibility and humbly admits he must lift.

“A lot of that is down to some of us experienced players not leading the way,” Henriques said.

Moises Henriques walks off after losing his wicket. Picture: Getty Images

“I had a pretty mediocre season last year and in red ball I haven’t started well either.

“So when you’re looking at a whole team perspective from my point of view as captain, I’ve got to look internally first and go ‘what am I doing, what can I change, what can I do better’, and ask the rest of the players to do the exact same thing.”

Shipperd lives in Melbourne but has committed to basing himself in Coogee for the vast majority of the summer and NSW are backing his pedigree of success to turn things around before this season slips away.

“I think the expectations are fairly high,” Mail said.

“We made a lot of changes in establishing a new coaching group. We’ve moved into a fantastic facility here (at Silverwater). We did have a good pre-season and we started very brightly in some pre-season matches against Victoria.

“I think sometimes the dressing room can get into a state that it looked like it was in Adelaide and Melbourne where there is a bit of tentativeness that creeps in. but ultimately, you’re just looking for your players and your experienced players to find a way to get through those difficult situations.

“We’re certainly not throwing the season out.

“… (Shipperd) is the most successful domestic coach in Australian cricket history.

“… There’s guys in there that have had 20, 30 games worth of experience now and we would expect output to come from that.”