Cricket Australia has pulled players from ABC interviews following an escalating dispute sparked by comments from former Test quick Stuart Clark, who used his role as a broadcaster to launch a blunt attack on senior figures within the national setup.
The decision followed Mr Clark’s on-air criticism of head of cricket James Allsopp and chief selector George Bailey, remarks that reverberated through Australian cricket and triggered a swift response from Cricket Australia headquarters.
Mr Clark drew headlines on Monday when he described Allsopp as a “grade coach” and questioned Bailey’s authority, suggesting the former Test captain lacked the gravitas to push back against players and coaches.
The comments infuriated senior administrators, prompting Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg to meet Mr Clark on Tuesday.
Mr Greenberg defended both Allsopp and Bailey and made clear the remarks did not reflect the views of Cricket NSW, despite Mr Clark serving as a selector and board member with the state body.
Mr Allsopp is regarded internally as a respected administrator, having progressed through high-performance roles, women’s state coaching, and leadership positions within Cricket ACT after working across New South Wales development pathways.
Mr Bailey, meanwhile, has overseen a period of on-field success since being appointed chief selector in 2021, though he has remained a frequent target for criticism from former players.
That external pressure is understood to have frustrated Australia’s coaching staff.
Against that backdrop, CA opted not to provide an Australian player to the ABC for the customary post-play interview at stumps on day three of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.
The national broadcaster is typically granted daily access to a player, but there is no contractual obligation for CA to do so.
It is understood that the boycott is temporary, with interviews expected to resume as normal.
On Tuesday night, Steve Smith spoke with other networks after scoring a century as Australia tightened its grip on the match against England.
The ABC’s exclusion prompted an on-air response from commentator Corbin Middlemas, who criticised Cricket Australia’s decision and its impact on listeners across the country.
“It is extremely disappointing from the fact that people in the regions and people who listen to ABC radio right across the country that obviously at this time don’t get the chance to hear from the Australian cricket team,” Middlemas said.
“The Australian team is a public good. It is not a private team, not a private enterprise. They are the custodians of the game as it sits at the moment and is a team all Australians have a stake in it.”
Mr Clark later addressed the controversy himself, revealing he had spoken directly with Mr Greenberg and downplayed suggestions of an ongoing feud.
“I am not going to get into a public spat with Todd. I have known Todd for 20 odd years. We worked together at the NRL. We are friends. We played golf together,” he said.
“We have had disagreements. We will continue to have disagreements. We obviously don’t agree, and that’s cool.
“I will probably see him later tonight at a function and we will probably have a laugh about it. From my point of view there is no point in having a war of words about this, other than to confirm that I went and found Todd.”