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War at the WACA

Source: The West Australian - November 9, 2006

The war of words between three of WA's best ever cricketers escalated last night when Test opener Justin Langer backed teammate Damien Martyn's complaint that WACA president Dennis Lillee should not have criticised the Australian team.

Langer stood by Martyn, his State teammate of 15 years, to confirm the level of anger in the Australian camp over Lillee's suggestion in a column in The West Australian that the ageing Test team was vulnerable in this Ashes series.

Under the headline "Our Dad's Army", Lillee said: "It is worrying how Australia, after being outplayed in England, are going to turn things around with a decidedly older team."

Asked if he mirrored Martyn in having lost respect for Lillee, Langer replied, tellingly: "No comment."

Langer then made it clear he agreed with Martyn's statement that Lillee, as WACA president, should remain silent rather than criticise the Australian team.

"Damien is one of my best friends and he is a pretty loyal person so I stand by him," Langer said. "I would stand by him through thick and thin.

"There was enough said last week and I didn't want to comment because it is not really an Australian thing to do for people on the same side to be having a slanging match."

The WACA backed Lillee, declaring that his senior elected position did not disqualify him from commenting publicly on cricket matters.

The in-fighting came just days before the biggest interstate match at the WACA Ground for many years, with seven members of Australia's likely first Test team set for action for WA and Queensland in the Pura Cup game, starting on Sunday.

Langer, the best batsman produced in WA, and Lillee, the greatest bowler and now a respected coach, were both at Warriors practice at the WACA last night but did not speak as they operated in different sections of the nets. Lillee would not respond to the furore last night other than to say: "Everyone is entitled to their opinion."

WACA chairman David Williams said Lillee was entitled to express strong views as he made his living as a cricket columnist and promoter.

"When Dennis makes comment on the Australian cricket team or individual players, he does so as Dennis Lillee the commentator and not Dennis Lillee the WACA president," Williams said.

"When the WACA membership overwhelmingly elected Dennis to the position of president, they were aware of the whole Dennis Lillee package."

That distinction may be lost on the Australian players, with Martyn saying: "Of course he is entitled to an opinion, but while he is WACA president I think he should be supporting us as fellow members of the Australian cricket family."

Langer said people had claimed for the past five years that the Australian team was too old but that was not supported by its performance.

"For four years we were written off as too old and we have kept proving over and over what a great side the Australian cricket team is," Langer said. "But if people keep saying it, eventually they will get it right because eventually we will have to retire or step away from the game."

- JOHN TOWNSEND