David Warner could learn this week if he stands any chance of overturning his leadership ban as two days of meetings between cricket’s powerbrokers loom.
Warner’s ban is likely to be discussed at Thursday’s annual general meeting with the states, and is again expected to be a talking point at a Cricket Australia (CA) board meeting on Friday.
The veteran’s leadership status will be one of several talking points, in tandem with Australia’s next men’s one-day captain following Aaron Finch’s retirement.
TV rights negotiations are also likely to be on the agenda, with the current deal up after the 2023-24 summer, while a new pay deal for players is also due next year.
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In addition, officials must determine whether Australia will play Afghanistan in three ODIs next March, after CA last year made their concerns clear about facing the nation while it remains under Taliban rule.
Two vacancies must also be filled on the CA board. Cricket Victoria chairman David Maddocks favoured to replace the outgoing Mel Jones, while Michelle Tredenick has also resigned.
But it is the status of Warner and his lifetime leadership ban that will draw the most attention out of the high-powered Hobart meetings.
Warner has repeatedly stated this year that he wants to talk with CA over the matter, after he was handed the ban in the wake of the 2018 ball-tampering affair.
Only one director, John Harnden, remains from that time. He is up for re-election this week.
Finch and Test captain Pat Cummins have voiced their opinion that Warner should be able to hold a leadership position again, while his case will also be helped by his return to the Big Bash.
Players have said Warner remains an informal leader in the national set-up, with Mitch Marsh declaring as much earlier this week.
“I love Davey, certainly batting with him over the last 18 months, spending a lot of time with him, we’ve become great mates off the field,” Marsh said on Tuesday.
“He’s certainly got a lot of energy around our team, brings everyone together, books golf for everyone.
“He’s actually our team manager, people probably don’t know that. He’s a great leader among our group.
David Warner of Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
“As far as all the (Cricket Australia) decisions go, I certainly steer clear of all those conversations. But he’s a great man to have in the squad.”
Warner would shape as a potential option for the one-day captaincy or vice-captaincy if his ban is lifted, but the process would not be straightforward before the next game in the format on November 17.
If CA’s board do opt to consider going down that path, they will need to rewrite their own code of conduct which does not allow for a player to appeal a punishment once it has been handed down.
Consultation would also be required with newly appointed ethics commissioner Dr Simon Longstaff, who led the cultural review into CA following the sandpaper-gate scandal.
(Photo by Michael Steele-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Fit-again Shaheen set to shine at Cup
Pakistan have been handed a major boost ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia with pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi set to join the team for warm-up games against England and Afghanistan.
Afridi, 22, has been sidelined since sustaining a ligament injury to his right knee during a test match in Sri Lanka in July, missing the Asia Cup and home series against England.
“Shaheen is now available for selection for the 17 and 19 October warm-up matches against England and Afghanistan, respectively during which his match fitness will be assessed by the team management,” the PCB said on Tuesday.
Afridi, who has picked up 47 wickets in 40 T20s, is key to Pakistan’s set-up, with his ability to bowl at high speeds and generate bounce likely to come in handy on Australian pitches.
“I am super excited … it has been a difficult period for me to be miles away from the game and the team I love the most,” said Afridi, who was named in the 15-man squad in the hope that he would be fit in time for the tournament.
“I have been bowling six to eight overs trouble-free for the past 10 days with full run-up and pace.”
Reserve batsman Fakhar Zaman, who has been out with a knee injury, will also travel to Brisbane with Afridi.
Pakistan, T20 World Cup winners in 2009, open their campaign against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.
99 problems for Proteas in India
South Africa have been thrashed by India in the series-deciding final match of their three-game ODI contest at Delhi with the Proteas routed for just 99.
Heinrich Klaasen’s 34 was the only decent contribution from the visitors as they slumped from 4-43 to 6-71 before being bowled out before reaching triple figures.
Kuldeep Yadav cleaned up the tail with 4-18 after Washington Sundar (2-15), Mohammad Siraj (2-17) and Shahbaz Ahmed (2-32) took care of the top order.
India lost just three wickets and needed only 19.1 overs to reel in the target with opener Shubman Gill making 49 before he was trapped lbw one hit away from the target.
England invest in Jofra comeback
Jofra Archer has retained his England central contract despite being sidelined for more than a year while Ben Foakes and Liam Livingstone are the beneficiaries of first-time deals.
After two operations on a troublesome right elbow, Archer was set for a domestic comeback at the start of the English summer but a stress fracture in the Sussex paceman’s lower back meant another lengthy absence.
Even though his return and a first international appearance since March 2021 is still a little way off, Archer is back bowling and has England’s continued backing after being offered another annual deal.
Their faith is well founded given Archer was renowned as one of the world’s best fast bowlers in all formats before his long lay-off, starring in England’s 2019 World Cup win and the Ashes that summer.
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s contracts structure is the same as last year, covering Test and limited-overs players and takes into account performances from the past 12 months and the probability of who will feature over the next year, with 30 players furnished with some type of deal.
(AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Foakes has cemented himself as England’s Test wicketkeeper in recent months so he is one of 18 players to get a full-time contract, along with Livingstone, who is an important cog in the white-ball sides.
World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan drops out of the list altogether after his international retirement in June while both Jason Roy and Dawid Malan have been downgraded to incremental deals.
Roy was left out of the squad for the T20 World Cup that starts later this month after averaging under 19 with the bat, with a strike-rate of 104.04, in the shortest format this year although his place on the lower banding is a sign that he is still in their thoughts.
Malan, meanwhile, is first-choice in the T20 side but lost his Test spot after last winter’s Ashes, as did opening batter Rory Burns, who has not been presented with any type of England deal.
Neither has Chris Jordan – one of three players in England’s T20 World Cup squad along with Alex Hales and Phil Salt without contracts – despite being a relied upon fast bowler in the shortest format for several years.
Alex Lees, who has opened the batting in England’s last 10 Tests but has averaged just 23.84 with a top-score of 67 during that time, is also conspicuous by his absence.
Batter Harry Brook, seamer Matthew Potts and left-arm duo Reece Topley and David Willey get incremental deals, while Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton and Olly Stone all hang on to their pace bowling development contracts and are joined by Brydon Carse, Matthew Fisher and Jamie Overton in an expanded pool.
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