On recent comments made on ABC by broadcaster and NSW board member Stuart Clark, CA boss Todd Greenberg described the attacks as personal and banned the ABC from interviewing Australian players after the end of the third day’s play at the SCG because they had crossed an invisible line that everyone knows about.
Australia had one of the most exciting days of batting on the field in this entire Ashes series, with two of their batsmen scoring centuries in the same day. However, after a flurry of runs, ABC Cricket failed to get a match against any Australian players due to the ban imposed by Cricket Australia.
Stuart Clark’s personal attack on CA cricket chief and selector George Bailey
Former Australian player and current ABC broadcaster Stuart Clark questioned the abilities of chairman of selection committee George Bailey and made a direct personal attack on CA’s head of cricket James Allsopp in particular.
He believed he was unwilling to stand up to Australia’s selection problems and claimed Allsopp did not have the level of authority to speak up to head coach Andrew McDonald or captain Steve Smith.
“James Allsopp, who runs cricket in Australia, is the head of community cricket, is a grade club cricket coach who bowls underarm balls to kids,” Clarke said on the ABC.
“That’s his background. He’s a lovely lad, don’t get me wrong. But he runs the whole of cricket now. He can’t tell (coach) Andrew McDonald or (captain) Steve Smith what to do.”
“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 be doing it 100 per cent, but I don’t think he does,” Clarke said when he felt Bailey was showing no desire to direct any Australian leader.
ABC banned from interviewing players on instructions from Cricket Australia
On Tuesday, CA boss Todd Greenberg spoke to broadcaster and Cricket NSW board member Stuart Clark and claimed his comments, particularly on Allsopp, felt too personal.
“When I see his (Allsopp) criticism, I think it is personal criticism. I thought it was unfair,” the CA chief was quoted as saying by Fox Cricket.
She added, “On this occasion, I felt he crossed the line by talking not just about decisions, but about people as individuals. I felt it was personal. I told him this.”
“When they got it right in Adelaide, I applauded them,” Stuart Clark defends his actions on ABC
“We talked about it amicably. We obviously don’t agree, and that’s a good thing,” Clarke said of her discussion with Greenberg on ABC, but she quickly added that it’s OK to have some disagreements, but no disrespect toward each other. He also called Greenberg his old friend.
“The other thing I wanted to say was that when they got it right in Adelaide, I appreciated them.
Stuart Clark defended his comments on the ABC, saying, “There are different times and different stages when we are very complimentary… that has been missed.”
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