'Set a dangerous precedent': Melbourne Stars 'frustrated' as officials deny application for replacement player – Nine

Nine’s Wide World of Sports
Melbourne Stars have been denied an application to replace overseas import Tom Curran after he suffered an injury at training.
Sitting on the bottom of the Big Bash ladder after four-straight losses, the Stars will be desperate to return to the winner's circle against the Sydney Thunder on Saturday.
However, just an hour after the franchise named their mandatory 14-player squad, star all-rounder Curran succumbed to a calf strain at training.
FOLLOW LIVE: Australia vs India fourth Test, day three
READ MORE: 'Best BBQ I've seen': Kohli sledged after India 'shocker'
READ MORE: Dragons 'regret' headlines list of NRL's best new signings
Tom Curran won't play for the Stars on Saturday night.  Getty
Melbourne attempted to bring in fellow English player Dan Lawrence for the must-win clash, but Cricket Australia intervened and put a red line through the replacement.
According to 9News reporter and SEN Radio expert Tom Morris, the decision hasn't gone down well with the Stars, who will now be without one of their best players.
"[It has] frustrated the Melbourne Stars overnight," he said.
"It's gone from bad to worse for the Stars, who have lost import Tom Curran to a calf strain. He was fit at 5pm yesterday and then at 6pm, Curran hurt himself at training.
"They investigated who they could bring in as the overseas replacement player. They applied to replace Curran with Dan Lawrence, who played for them last season.
"The application was rejected and the reason is because Lawrence isn't a squad member. Cricket Australia maintain that you can't have clubs cherry-picking any player in world cricket from outside their contract list.
"They say it would open pandora's box and would speak to the integrity of the competition, but the Stars argue that the BBL should have the best players and this is over-officious. Cricket Australia argue that this would set a dangerous precedent."
It's a bitter blow for the Stars, who have a stack of high-quality players on their roster including Glenn Maxwell and Ben Duckett, but have failed to fire in recent years.
They will take on the Thunder at Manuka Oval, who have played just two games including a devastating final-ball defeat against local rivals Sydney Sixers.
© 2024 Nine Entertainment Co.

source