Christian has been advised to stop playing first-class cricket
South Australia have announced that they have suspended all-rounder Daniel Christian for damaging the dressing rooms on three different occasions after he was dismissed over the past couple of weeks.
Christian, who is a regular face on Australia’s ODI and Twenty20 squads, has been advised to stop playing first-class cricket for a while after his unbelievable outbursts at the Adelaide Oval, Hobart’s Bellerive Oval and the WACA in Perth.
South Australia Cricket Association (SACA) director of cricket Jamie Cox said: “While playing against the Tasmanian Tigers at Adelaide Oval, Daniel was given a verbal warning for damaging the change rooms after he was dismissed, this ill-disciplined behaviour post-dismissal occurred again in Hobart, where the Blundstone Arena change rooms were also damaged, and at that time Daniel was given a written warning and was fined his match fee.”
Cox added: “On both occasions he has apologized and paid for the cost of repairs. Disappointingly, despite these two prior warnings, a similar incident occurred after a dismissal in Perth for a third consecutive time. Whilst in isolation none of these incidents are hanging offences, the cumulative effect has seen this action as necessary. Everyone experiences pressure and disappointment at work, but that’s not an excuse for bad-tempered behaviour that includes damaging property. Daniel has now been suspended from this round of the Sheffield Shield against the Victorian Bushrangers in Melbourne. Daniel has an obligation to himself, his team-mates and to cricket to uphold the values and standards of our team and the game. First-class cricket is an emotional game; however, everyone experiences pressure at work. Daniel’s repeated inability to curb his behaviour after he is dismissed leads us to believe that some time away from state cricket will be of benefit to him.”
Christian has made 173 runs at an average of 21.62 in four matches this season and has also picked up nine wickets at an average of 41.44.
The all-rounder is now set to train with South Australia’s Emerging squad and will play grade cricket until Cox and the rest of the SACA administration feel he is ready to return to the senior side.