Australian fast bowler Billy Stanlake has been withdrawn from his County stint with Yorkshire for the Vitality T20 Blast, as Cricket Australia wanted him to focus on the future national commitments.
Justin Langer will take charge of the Australian cricket team in England next month, and the new management wants to experiment Stanlake in all formats of the game, especially Tests, as he believes that the 204cm tall fast bowler has potential in the red-ball format. Even, the pacer is also eager to prove his worth in the longer form of the game, saying “red-ball is probably my best format”.
He was scheduled to play 12 T20 games for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast, though there were high chances of him missing the first two games of the County side due to Australia would be busy in playing Zimbabwe tri-series to be held in July 2018.
Australia has decided it after Stanlake injured finger in the ongoing IPL 2018, where he represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, and for whom he has taken 5 wickets, only began bowling in the nets again last Friday, and that’s why CA wants him practicing at nets more.
Stanlake, who is able to clock speed 150kph, named in Australia’s White-ball squad for England tour next month, and even could be tour with Australia A to India, where they would have a couple of four-day games and White-ball games, and due to which Langer wants to test him before Pakistan Test series, as if he would be with Yorkshire then Billy will not have time to rest, once India A tour is confirmed.
Langer wants to build-up a strong squad before the home summer, and for which he wanst tets his players during Australia's India and Pakistan tour.
Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon told the club website, “They've pulled him out of our deal, which is obviously very disappointing for us. Now the new Australia coach is in place, they want him to play some different cricket to T20 during the period he was due to be with us. Cricket Australia got in touch on Friday and have decided on a different strategy for Billy Stanlake.”
Meanwhile, Langer told SEN radio, “There's an Australia A tour to India where there's a couple of four-day games. I imagine we might leave our selection for Pakistan (in) the UAE quite late, use that build-up and use that match practice. I'd suggest it might be a pretty strong Australia A team going to India.”
So far, Billy has played two one-day and six T20 internationals for Australia.
