Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has invited Shane Warne "to discuss his grievances after the 43-year-old followed his graceless exit from the Big Bash League with a tirade about the contentious selection and player management systems in which he described team performance staff as 'muppets,'" according to Chloe Saltau of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Sutherland said that he had "exchanged text messages with Warne on Tuesday but Warne was busy with poker commitments." Sutherland said, "From where I sit the team performance area is working very well from Pat Howard down and obviously we have got a team in transition" (SMH, 1/30). Sutherland said it was "a bit disappointing" Warne would go on attack as aggressively as he did in an outburst on Twitter. Sutherland: "He is a great player, great follower and passionate supporter of Australian cricket, and obviously he has that experience that validates strong opinions (but) it is better for us to hear those views in a private forum to understand them" (HERALD SUN, 1/30).
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE: The AP noted Warne said that he will "unveil his own blueprint for the future of Australian cricket within 24 hours." In his most recent Twitter posts on Tuesday, Warne indicated that he was "prepared to back rhetoric with action." Warne said, "If interested, I will give my opinion and write an in-depth article on the state of Australian cricket and suggest who I think should be running the team and selecting the team" (AP, 1/29).
CLASH WITH AUTHORITY: The AAP noted Australian vice captain Shane Watson pointed out Warne's "recent clash with authority during the Big Bash League when asked to comment on the legendary leg-spinner's latest Twitter outburst." Warne was fined a total of A$9,500 ($9,940) and suspended for one match during the BBL while playing for Melbourne Stars for various breaches of discipline, including clashing with Melbourne Renegades’ allrounder Marlon Samuels and not naming himself as captain in a semifinal "in a bid to avoid a possible suspension for slow over-rates." Watson said, "Warney's obviously got a few issues with the hierarchy at the moment with some of the things that happened during the Big Bash" (AAP, 1/29).
