Australian domestic news

Blewett fined for calling selectors 'clowns'

Cricinfo staff

January 24, 2007

Greg Blewett's glory days at South Australia seem a distant memory © Getty Images

Greg Blewett's fractious relationship with South Australian cricket authorities took another turn for the worse when the batsman was handed a $1000 fine for negative comments he made about the state's officials. Blewett, who is still contracted by the Redbacks but has been dropped and is looking for the opportunity to transfer to another state, has been scathing in his description of the South Australia hierarchy in the past month.

Among other things, he described the state's selectors as "clowns" after they all but ended his career with the Redbacks by dropping him from the one-day team and promoting younger players. Blewett also told Adelaide's Advertiser newspaper that comments by Paul Nobes, the chairman of selectors, that Blewett was in poor form were unfair.

"It's incorrect, not right," Blewett said. "For Nobes to say that my form is not warranting selection is absolute crap. I've had a pretty good year for [my club] Kensington. It doesn't make sense what he is actually saying."

But that was a far cry from the words attributed to Blewett in an official South Australia statement after he was found guilty of detrimental public comment under the Cricket Australia code of behaviour. "I have always maintained and valued a strong relationship with the SACA and want to ensure that continues to be the case," Blewett's statement said.

"And I am particularly grateful for the assistance the SACA has given me throughout my career. I sincerely regret if any of my comments have caused the SACA any offence or harm, as this was never my intention."

© Cricinfo