Aussie cricket greats BLAST Big Bash League stars for returning home to celebrate Christmas with family after missing crucial match
Australia cricket great Brad Hogg has criticized Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile for missing crucial Big Bash League matches to spend Christmas with their families.
The Melbourne Stars duo missed their team’s six-wicket loss against the Perth Scorchers on Boxing Day after returning home to Perth for Christmas.
Their absences have been compounded by the long-term absence of star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who will miss the entire campaign with a broken leg.
Brad Hogg (left) has criticized Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Coulter-Nile for not featuring in the Melbourne Stars’ BBL against Perth on Boxing Day
The Stars have won just one of their first five games and the attitude of some of the players has been questioned by coach David Hussey.
And Hogg, who won the 2003 and 2007 World Cups with Australia, shared Hussey’s frustration.
‘It’s always massive when you lose someone like Glenn Maxwell,’ he told SEN.
‘I’ve been listening to some of the comments coach David Hussey has made over the last few days […] the attitude that he was not happy with them in the last game.
Marcus Stoinis averaged just 3.5 with the bat in four BBL games this season
The 33-year-old took two wickets from his seven overs at an average of over 11
‘When you have two players coming home for Christmas and not taking part in the game and then you have a big injury to Glenn Maxwell, then it upsets the other players in your camp.
‘I hate being negative to these types, but you are a team. You sign a contract. You’ll be there in the long run.’
Hussey noted that Stoinis and Coulter-Nile’s decision to fly home for Christmas was particularly disappointing as they are both white-ball specialists, whose schedule is not as tight as their colleagues playing red-ball cricket.
‘Some of these players don’t play all formats of the game for Australia so for me, there’s probably no reason unless there’s some serious personal reason to leave the team environment,’ he added.
Nathan Coulter-Nile took 3-15 in the Stars’ opening game of the BBL season
But the fast bowler took just three wickets in the next three matches
‘Little things like that can upset the group.’
One of Australia’s best players in their misguided T20 World Cup campaign last month, Stoinis has struggled in the BBL. The 33-year-old averaged just 3.5 with the bat from his four innings, taking two wickets from his seven overs at an average of over 11.
After taking 3-19 in the opening game, meanwhile, Coulter-Nile took just three wickets in the next three matches.
Stars coach David Hussey admitted his team crumbled under pressure against Perth
Speaking after the loss against the Scorchers, Hussey admitted that his team crumbled under the pressure.
‘Our boys had a crack [against Perth] and competed but we just need to fix some areas of attitude I think,’ he told Fox Cricket.
‘It’s more attitude as in we have a couple of team rules about competing and working with the captain on which plans to bowl to certain players and unfortunately those plans were lost in the heat.’
