In one of the more extraordinary decisions of the summer, Cricket Australia (CA) has banned ABC Radio from interviewing Australian players after day three of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG.
The shock decision was the result of on-air comments made by former Test bowler and Cricket NSW board member Stuart Clark, who was critical of the ability key Australian team officials to make tough selection calls, including head of selectors George Bailey and CA head of cricket James Allsopp.
“James Allsopp who runs cricket in Australia, the head of cricket, community cricket, is a grade club cricket coach that throws underarm balls to kids,” Clark said on ABC Radio.
“That’s what his background is. He’s a lovely guy, don’t get me wrong. But he now runs the whole of cricket. He can’t tell Andrew McDonald or Steve Smith what to do.”
MORE: Predicted XI: Who will be in the Australian squad for the Ashes in 2027 and 2029-30?
‘Does he have the gravitas or the leadership skills?’
“Then you have George, who is the chairman of selectors. Does he have the gravitas or the leadership skills to tell Andrew McDonald and Steve Smith or Pat Cummins what to do? He should do, 100 per cent, but I don’t think he does,” Clark continued.
On Tuesday CA boss Todd Greenberg told reporters Clark’s comments were ‘out of order’ and ‘unwarranted’.
“It was made very clear to me that they were not comments attributed to Cricket NSW, they were comments attributed to Stuart personally,” Greenberg said.
“I’m not going to get into a war of words with Stuart because I’ve got very high regard for him, but when I think that someone’s got it wrong I’ll say it.”
ABC radio cricket commentator Corbin Middlemas criticised CA’s decision to restrict their access to players on day three at the SCG.
“It is extremely disappointing from the fact that people in the regions and people who listen to ABC radio right across the country obviously at this time don’t get the chance to hear from the Australian cricket team,” he told listeners.