Vacancy for banned pair
Surrey coach leaves door open for Smith or Warner
SURREY coach Michael Di Venuto has confirmed he’d be keen to sign one of Australia’s banned Test stars.
Di Venuto was Australia’s batting coach until 2016 and remains close to Steve Smith and David Warner, who are serving 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket after the ball tampering scandal in South Africa.
Cameron Bancroft, who was issued with a nine-month suspension, had his contract with Somerset ripped up after the incident, with Smith and Warner losing their lucrative IPL deals.
The trio are only permitted to play grade cricket in Australia, but their bans do not prevent them from playing County cricket in England, although it would require approval from the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Test all-rounder Mitch Marsh was Surrey’s overseas signing for the season, but he is unavailable after ankle surgery. South Africa opener Dean Elgar was signed by the club for April and May, leaving another spot available for the second half of the season.
Australia will defend their World Cup crown in England next year followed by an attempt to win a first away Ashes series since 2001.
Smith, Warner and Bancroft will not have played any first class cricket before the start of the World Cup and Di Venuto believes a spell in England will benefit the players and Australia.
“From an Australian perspective, it is probably important that they play a bit of cricket at some stage,” Di Ve- nuto said.
“I don’t know if they are allowed to play in this competition. I know what it states in their sanctions that they can’t play domestic cricket in Australia.
“We have got a relationship with Mitch to see how he goes with his ankle but we have got a spot we have got to fill.
“So, if they are in the right mental state to play cricket and the ECB will have to allow it to start with, then we’d be mad not to look at some of the world’s best players potentially playing.”
Glamorgan coach Robert Croft believes Australian batsman Shaun Marsh won’t be affected by any sledging about ball tampering.
“It is not an issue for me,” Croft told PA Sport. “Shaun was not mentioned in any of that — and do you think an Aussie ever worries about chirping? But if he does get any of that I think he’s the type of chap to just stare them down.”