Shane Warne highly critical of Australian cricket

Retired bowler comes in year of the Ashes

Pa
Wednesday 30 January 2013 08:55 EST
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A fresh-faced Shane Warne is all smiles as he comes out of retirement at the MCG yesterday, 21 years after he made his first-class debut
A fresh-faced Shane Warne is all smiles as he comes out of retirement at the MCG yesterday, 21 years after he made his first-class debut (Getty Images)

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Shane Warne has called for sweeping changes at the top of Australian cricket, singling out rotation as one of the biggest issues he believes is holding back the national team.

The retired leg-spinner posted a series of tweets on Monday, criticising aspects of Cricket Australia's structure and policies.

Warne, widely regarded as one of the best players in Australia's history, then further aired his grievances in a lengthy blog published today on his official website.

"The next 12 months is the biggest 12 months of cricket for the Australian cricket team in a long, long time," he said.

"If we do nothing now, we will be where we were 30 years ago. There needs to be urgent action and a new strategy/plan put in place.

"The current set up is not working, as the results are showing! What are our world rankings in all forms?"

Warne has run foul of Cricket Australia twice this summer, being fined 9500 Australian dollars (£6300) and banned for one match due to transgressions committed while playing for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League.

While he has been accused of having an agenda against the governing body, the 43-year-old likely found a favourable audience by seizing on the contentious issue of player rotation as one of his chief complaints.

CA's stated policy of resting players to avoid injury and fatigue has drawn widespread criticism from former players, despite being commonplace in other national set-ups.

Warne also called for CA to choose the same 11 players across Tests, one-day internationals and Twenty20 international cricket.

"A simple criteria is pick your best team and stick with it in all forms. Chopping and changing leads to insecurity," he said.

"Players then start to look out for themselves and over their shoulder, this breeds selfishness.

"It's also why rotation and resting players will never work. I believe the players should be united, take ownership of this, it's a very powerful and strong message to send to CA.

"Cricket is a simple game; sure it has room and a place for scientific research and current technology, which can help learn about an opponent, but not instead of using your cricket brain, together they can work hand in hand.

"Technology can help in recovery, but so can sleep and a common sense approach to recovery.

"It's time to go back to basics. Too many people are justifying their existence."

PA

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