The BBL — cricket’s version of Tinder

LET’S join some dots.

Andrew McDonald coaches the Renegades in the BBL and it’s no secret that the coach plays an integral part in the recruitment of his playing list, and then ultimately, the selection of his team.

Andrew McDonald also coaches the Victorian team. It happens less these days that the crossover of BBL and state coaching is the norm, but with Victoria holding two BBL teams, the opportunities are vast.

So when Hurricanes list manager, chief of recruitment and Cricket Tasmania CEO, Nick Cummins, made the call to Renegades management about facilitating a trade for Matt Wade, he would have done so by presenting a list of players he deemed expendable.

It’s clear — through the fact Beau Webster was traded for Wade — that Beau was on the list for McDonald and Renegades management to choose from as a replacement for their Australian capped wicketkeeper.

It makes you wonder how much thought was put into the fact that Beau would be sent to spend his extended Christmas holiday under the watchful eye of the Victorian head coach.

After CT dangled Webster in front of them, could McDonald be trusted not to use the Big Bash as a seven-week serenade of the gangly righthand batsman?

Beau impressed the Renegades and played a role at the back end of their season. Or maybe his selection was just part of the serenading process. A nibble of the ear. The flirtation of a blouse opened one button too many to remain professional.

In short. The answer is no. No one can be trusted. Gulp. It’s this very succession of happenings that has seen Beau Webster offered a long-term deal to further his domestic career under the guidance of Andrew McDonald and his team of blue and white Vwearing Victorians.

It’s a move in line with the WACA’s paying Andrew Tye, who reportedly has a larger domestic contract than his BBL deal, a format he has always dominated.

It’s as cunning as that fox that went to Oxford. But sadly, it’s now the norm. After years of nurturing Beau as an actual Tasmanian youth pathwayed talent, one that drank our tap water from the earliest of ages, it’s only the past two seasons that Tasmanian cricket has seen a reward with some showing of strong

Maybe his selection was just part of the serenading process. A nibble of the ear. The flirtation of a blouse opened one button too many to remain professional.

performance. I know Beau as a humble and kind young man from the greatest of stock.

Kids with dads like Rod have loyalty ingrained in them.

But geez, the highest ranking manager at CT traded him. Saw him as expendable.

What does that do to the mind of anyone battling hard to find their place in a cutthroat industry that relies so heavily on trust?

Should Beau decide that Victoria can provide him greater financial security, across a deal structured to offer long-term opportunities for cricket progression, it should rock Tasmanian cricket to its core that it was ultimately its decision making that pushed him that way.

But hey, it most likely won’t. D’Arcy Short will join the CT party on a deal that would make David Walsh blush, and Beau will become that Tasmanian kid who found the best version of himself in the arms of another lover.

Anyone know where Jono Wells is these days?