- Australia has had a shocking start to the cricket summer
- Former Test Great is in trouble for alleged vandalism
- Comes as Australia face a heavy defeat in the first Test
Australia’s disastrous start to the summer of cricket has sunk even deeper, with a big Test and an assistant coach fined for damaging a dressing room.
Australia’s bid to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy could be over after just three days, with Pat Cummins’ men needing to complete a first of 27 years to finally beat India in a Test series.
With two days to go in Perth, 522 runs still needed and three wickets behind, Australia would have to stage the greatest comeback in cricket history to avoid losing the first Test at Optus Stadium.
Now Cricket Australia is soothing another black eye after a former Test major was accused of vandalizing a dressing room after a match.
Former Test opener Brad Hodge will be forced to pay for damage to the carpet in the Australian dressing room at Bellerive Oval in Hobart after reportedly suffering burnouts on an e-bike following a T20 match.
The part-time assistant was part of the Australian coaching staff for the final match of the Twenty20 series against Pakistan as the Aussies juggled that series and the upcoming Test series against India.
Former Australian Test opener Brad Hodge is said to have damaged the carpets in the dressing rooms at Bellerive Oval in Hobart
It is claimed that Hodge used an e-bike, like the one in the photo, to cause burnouts on the carpet
Sources said The era that Hodge brought the e-bike into the locker room after the match and damaged the carpets.
It is claimed the e-bike was used by another member of the Australian team’s support staff to get to the race.
Cricket Australia did not mention Hodge by name but said the offending side would have to pay for the damage to the Bellerive dressing room.
“We are aware that some damage was caused to the carpet in the Australian dressing room at Bellerive Oval following the Australia-Pakistan T20 and we have apologized to Cricket Tasmania for this,” CA said in a statement.
‘The cost of repairs will be passed on to the person who caused the damage and they will be reminded of their responsibility to look after the facilities they are entitled to use.’
It comes as Australia stare down the barrel of a heavy Test loss in Perth, which could spell doom for their chances of wresting back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on home soil.
Since the 1997 Ashes in England, Australia have not lost the first Test and won the series.
Mark Taylor’s side took nine wickets in the Edgbaston opener before retaining the Ashes 3-2 in a six-Test series.
Australia are facing a huge loss in the opening Test against India at the Optus Stadium in Perth
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who admitted Sunday’s attack by Indian stars Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal was among the toughest days of his career, is already eyeing the second Test in Adelaide.
Australia start day four in complete disarray at 3-12, with debutant Nathan McSweeney and the out-of-form Marnus Labuschagne having already lost their wickets.
“I’m probably mainly looking at the next Test and what plans we can make against these (Indian) batsmen,” Hazlewood said on Sunday evening.
‘It’s obviously a long series. It’s a five-match series.
“If we can put a few overs into their top speed, I think those are probably the few goals we need to tick off (on Monday).
“If a few of our guys find some form and score 80, 90 or even 100, that’s probably the positives we can take from it.”