'Dirty about it': Ian Healy urged to take action amid storm around Usman Khawaja

Yahoo

20-03-2025

Cricket reporter Robbert Craddock has called for Ian Healy to jump in and quell the drama between Usman Khawaja and Queensland head of elite cricket Joe Dawes after the Melbourne GP drama. Khawaja has found himself at the centre of a storm after he 'made himself unavailable' for Queensland's vital clash with South Australia, and then attended the F1 in Melbourne with wife Rachel.
Cricket Queensland initially said Khawaja wanted to keep himself fresh for a big year of Test cricket and didn't want to take the place of a teammate who had been playing Sheffield Shield cricket all year. But it later came to light that he's been battling a hamstring niggle, which he said he aggravated while making a century for Queensland in the previous game against Tasmania.
The situation took a twist when Queensland Cricket's head of elite cricket Dawes made some explosive comments on Wednesday that they didn't think the hamstring issue was enough to prevent him playing, and he was "disappointed" Khawaja chose not to play.
And speaking on Thursday morning, Craddock admitted the narrative has slightly changed in the last 24 hours with the reporter confirming Khawaja had lodged a hamstring issue. "It's complicated. He did miss the last game, Queensland would have liked him to play, instead he went to the Grand Prix," Craddock said to Corey Parker and Healy on SEN Radio.
"What has come out is he did have a slight hamstring niggle, which he reported before his previous game, he was slightly restricted by it. He concedes it was not bad enough to keep him out of the game, but a freshener wouldn't hurt. He also concedes, I think, he was going to miss the last game anyway."
The attention then turned on Nathan Lyon with the veteran spinner appearing alongside Khawaja at the Melbourne GP. Lyon opted to skip NSW's Shield game. And Craddock pointed out the issue doesn't just sit with the two Aussie veterans, but has been an issue for years with top class cricketers opting to skip games.
"It's a wider issue here of players missing games. Nathan Lyon was in the box at the grand prix with Usman Khawaja on the weekend, but why wasn't he playing for NSW. Someone said to me it was a work load issue. Really? For a spin bowler whose next first class game is two months away...it is an issue broader than Usman Khawaja."
Craddock added: "It has become such a part of a septic fabric for some states that players just don't turn up and say I am unavailable..." The reporter then suggested to Aussie cricket legend and Queensland Cricket deputy chair Healy he should step in to quell the drama.
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While Khawaja and Lyon opted to skip their games, a number of their national teammates took part. Carey played for South Australia and has continued his sensational form, while Sam Konstas and Scott Boland have been playing for their respective teams.
But Craddock then turned the attention on Healy. Speaking directly to the cricket great, Craddock suggested he would get Healy to chat to both Khawaja and Dawes to mend what he believes is a souring partnership.
"I think the relationship between Joe Dawes and Usman Khawaja is poor at the moment. No doubt about that. It's at a frosty low. I think someone like yourself Heals, could take it on and maybe have a chat to both of them about it," Craddock added.
"It was risky what Joe Dawes said yesterday, because Khawaja could be playing the Shield final next week and he is their best player. But Dawes was only saying what a lot of people in Queensland cricket were thinking...Dawes was speaking for the majority, including some of the players who were dirty about it. When you were playing Heals, you just wouldn't have even thought about missing a game like that, and it's sad the way it has changed."
Craddock added: "I think Heals, I think you are the man to solve this one. I kept thinking you should be on the phone, as a senior statesman of the game, to talk to Usman and talk to Joe Dawes."
Craddock said Khawaja will attend training on Friday and he wants to play in the final after proving his fitness, but there is no guarantee he will play. The cricket reporter felt Khawaja had to play in the final due to his calibre.
"First and foremost, you are trying to win the competition," Craddock added. "I thought he stuffed up last week, but he has still been a good servant of Queensland cricket. He is 38 years old too, it is slightly different than a 29-year-old saying it. I just think he has to play."
Speaking on Wednesday, Queensland captain Labuschagne said Khawaja was at a 'a different stage in his career' and his decision to remain fresh for Australia should be welcomed. 'We understand if we want the best out of him he's going to need to make sure he's ready to go and he's fresh so he doesn't get himself injured,' Labuschagne said.
'He's obviously a vital player for Australia and a really big asset for the national team, so having Uzzie back for the final it's almost the perfect result – him having the week off and then being able to come back. And step up in big games which we know he can do, he's done it many, many times before.'