Australia batter Steve Smith’s application to turn out for Sydney Sixers’ Big Bash League Qualifier against Perth Scorchers on Saturday has been turned down. Smith was available for Sixers after Australia’s limited-overs series against New Zealand was indefinitely postponed.
The application was rejected thanks to a new rule introduced a couple of weeks ago by Cricket Australia that deals with replacement players for the teams hit by covid-19. A Local Replacement Player Pool (LRP) was introduced by Cricket Australia from which the franchises were allowed to choose any replacement.
Since Smith wasn’t part of the LRP, the other state franchises voted against allowing his participation.
“In creating the central LRP pool, it was agreed that clubs would not be able to contract LRPs from outside the pool for the remainder of the season,” CA said in a statement on Friday.
“This request was denied … noting that other players returning to the BBL from international duty have been retained on club lists throughout the competition,” it added.
However, other Australia stars including Nathan Lyon and Travis Head have returned for their respective franchises and will play in the finals since they were contracted by their teams for the season.
Sixers captain Moises Henriques lashed out at the development saying he’s disappointed that a player of Smith’s statute is being denied a chance to play in the BBL finals based on a two-week old rule.
“You have got a former Australian captain, one of the best players in the world,” Henriques said. “You have got IPL teams who pay multi-million dollars just to have this guy as part of their franchise. Advertising, bums on seats, eyes on TVs. I mean, you do the maths.”
“And we’re saying no because of a rule that is two weeks old in some COVID bubble hub. To me, I don’t get it. We’re in the top two without him, so I have got absolute belief in our domestic talent and local talent to do the job. I think it’s sad for cricket, that’s all,” he added.
