Surrey keen to sign either Warner, Smith or Bancroft
Coachsays
ON RADAR ECB willing, Surrey coach wants to bolster county side’s batting with a banned Aus player MUMBAI:
English county team Surrey has shown interest in signing one of Australian banned cricketers.
Surrey coach Michael Di Venuto, who served as the batting coach of Australia till 2016, has confirmed that he would love to have one of Steve Smith, David WarnerandCameronBancroftin his team provided the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) agrees for the same.
Surrey had earlier signed Australian all-rounder Mitch Marsh as one of its overseas players for the season, but he is now not available following an ankle surgery. In Marsh’s absence, Surrey signed South African opener Dean Elgar for April and May, which leaves one overseas spot vacant for the second half of the season.
Smith, Warner or Bancroft can be considered for this spot.
“From an Australian perspective, it is probably important that they play a bit of cricket at some stage,” Di Venuto was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
“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 as well.
“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,” he said while talking to the Australian website.
Di Venuto is considered close to both Smith and Warner who are currently undergoing a 12-month ban due to their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. Following the announcement of sanctions from Cricket Australia, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) barred the disgraced Australian stars from taking part in the ongoing IPL as well.
Bancroft, the other member of the banned troika, has been handed over a nine-month ban following which English country Somerset took his name off its contract list.
Though the trio can play only club cricket in Australia as their sanctions prevent them from taking part in domestic matches as well, there is no clause in the ban which stops them from playing overseas.
I don’t know if they are allowed to play in county. I know what it states in their sanctions that they can’t play domestic cricket in Aus. If they are in the right mental state to play and the ECB will have to allow it, then we’d be mad not to look at some of the world’s best players. From an Australian perspective, it is probably important that they (Smith, Warner and Bancroft) play a bit of cricket at some stage.
On his inclination to hire Oz player On the need to stay match-fit