Leg Buys: New CA boss Todd Greenberg moving on quick, BBL player availability a hot topic

New CA boss Todd Greenberg is moving on from the Cricketer’s Association earlier than planned, while the BBL find clarity on player availabilities, DANIEL CHERNY writes in LEG BUYS.

When Todd Greenberg was unveiled as Cricket Australia’s chief executive early in December, the former NRL boss made a point of noting that he would spend “the next three months” ensuring that the Australian Cricketers’ Association – of which he is the outgoing chief – would be well-placed for a handover.

Greenberg, 53, is due to take over from Nick Hockley as CA CEO in March.

As it turns out, Greenberg will spend less time handing over the reins at the player union than initially mooted. He will now wrap up his duties with the ACA on December 31, making for a cleaner break between the two jobs.

Todd Greenberg will wrap his current role with the ACA earlier than expected. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images for Cricket Australia

From the start of the new year, ACA deputy chief Joe Connellan will serve as interim boss of the organisation while the union’s board hunts for a permanent replacement for Greenberg.

Greenberg quipped during his media appearance with CA chairman Mike Baird at Adelaide Oval before the second Test that his history as a union man may not necessarily be looked upon kindly by the game’s powers, but that he wanted to work collaboratively with bodies like the ICC and BCCI.

“I’m really looking forward to developing relationships. I come potentially from the dark side on their view, but I’m hoping there are no sides and we can work together,” Greenberg said.

Usually a regular on radio during the home Test summer, Greenberg flagged at that Adelaide press conference that he would not be heard from publicly in between the press conference to announce his appointment and when he officially commences in his new role.

Greenberg’s time as ACA chief – which started in early 2021 – has been underpinned by a much more conciliatory relationship between CA and the ACA, a far cry from the extreme tension of the drawn-out 2017 pay dispute.

Key Australian Test players were denied from playing in an Australia A tour. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

An Australia A tour of South Africa was a casualty of those negotiations, denying players including Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Alex Carey and Scott Boland the chance to stake claims for national call-ups at the time.

The ACA meanwhile last week announced former West Australian Cricket supremo and Test cricketer Christina Matthews had been elected as the organisation’s new president, a role formerly held by ex-Aussie star Shane Watson.

Greenberg was in Brisbane on Tuesday, attending an ACA past players function on day four of the Gabba Test.

BASH OF DATES

Cricket Australia’s head of national teams Ben Oliver and men’s selection chair George Bailey met with Big Bash League club officials in recent weeks to discuss likely player availability for the back half of the season.

Player availability proves an issue for BBL. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

Clubs remain hopeful Test players will be free to play from the second week of January until the end of the regular season when the Test squad departs for a training camp in the UAE ahead of the two Test series in Sri Lanka.

There remains considerable intrigue as to which spinners complement Nathan Lyon, as well as whether Glenn Maxwell is named for the tour.

The series could decide whether Australia qualifies for next year’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s. South Africa is in the box seat for one of the two spots,