Cricket Australia’s decision to release players for Big Bash final goes against its own rules
AUSTRALIA doesn’t seem to care about its Twenty20 series against New Zealand and England. How else can you explain the release of players for Sunday’s Big Bash League final, writes Sam Landsberger.
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AUSTRALIA doesn’t seem to care about its international Twenty20 series against New Zealand and England.
How else can you explain the release of Strikers captain Travis Head, keeper Alex Carey and Hurricanes blaster D’Arcy Short for Sunday’s Big Bash final?
The trio will fly from Sydney to Adelaide, play at Adelaide Oval at 4.30pm and then fly from Adelaide to Hobart on Monday to rejoin the national camp.
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“That goes against the travel-play policy,” Renegades coach Andrew McDonald noted.
“You’re not meant to travel and play on the same day.”
Cricket Australia also gave the Strikers Head for Friday’s semi-final. The emerging star has seen more airports than cricket pitches in the past week.
Australia certainly did care about international cricket a month ago.
How else can you explain Cricket Australia forcing Renegades captain Cameron White to sit out the Etihad Stadium derby on January 12 so he could also sit out the first ODI, scheduled for the same city two days later?
The only consistency seems to be inconsistency.
Last Sunday the Herald Sun asked Cricket Australia whether it would release any players from its T20 squad to represent the Strikers or Renegades in Friday night’s semi-final.
The answer was no, and that was fair enough.
International cricket has, and always should, take priority, and with Australia languishing at No.7 in the world for T20 it was time to get serious.
Four days later and Head boarded a flight to Adelaide so he could captain the Strikers in the semi-final.
Why not Scorchers AJ Tye and Ashton Agar or Hurricane Short the night before? Or bowler Billy Stanlake?
Cricket Australia said Head was unlikely to play in Saturday night’s match, although given Australia picked a 14-man squad and opener Aaron Finch was hamstrung he was only ever one slip up away.
What if Head broke down at Adelaide Oval? What if he was required and his preparation for Australia was compromised?
Why the backflip?
“Interesting, wasn’t it?” McDonald said. “Interesting decisions.”
The Stars must be wondering why they played a final without Glenn Maxwell, John Hastings, Scott Boland and James Faulkner two years ago.
Renegades captain Cameron White said: “I don’t know what the policy is, or if there is one”.
It’s time to get one. The three ins are a win for fans in the final match of Network Ten’s broadcast deal.
But when league decisions influence a team’s fortunes, all their supporters want is predictability.
Why else do umpires or the AFL match review panel trigger frustrations?
This should be black and white.
Australia’s ODI squad should’ve been unavailable for BBL games and Australia’s T20 squad should’ve been unavailable for finals.
That would achieve clarity and give Australia the greatest chance of winning.
Originally published as Cricket Australia’s decision to release players for Big Bash final goes against its own rules