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Glenn Maxwell's warning to Cricket Australia amid billion-dollar drama

Glenn Maxwell, pictured here in action for Australia.
Glenn Maxwell, who will miss most of the BBL, has sent a warning to Cricket Australia. Image: Getty

Glenn Maxwell has called on Cricket Australia to do more to support local players in the face of the billions of dollars being splashed by T20 competitions around the world. The Aussie all-rounder will miss the majority of the BBL this season after breaking his leg in a freak accident at a friend's 50th birthday party.

The BBL has managed to lure more international talent to the flagging competition this year, with borders previously shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic opening back up. But Maxwell has warned Cricket Australia that they risk an LIB Golf-style takeover if they don't concentrate on looking after Australian talent.

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New T20 competitions in the UAE and South Africa will run concurrently with the BBL for the first time this summer, with all six teams in South Africa having direct links to cashed-up Indian Premier League franchises.

The new T20 league in the UAE will also get underway early next year, with veteran Aussie Chris Lynn set to leave the BBL to play. Speaking on the Vic State Cricket podcast, Maxwell issued a dire warning to Aussie cricket officials.

"I think the next step is making sure that our local players are taken care of because we are going to see these leagues take over at some stage," Maxwell said. "We are going to see the IPL teams, who have got their hands in different competitions around the world, we are going to see them take over.

"It could end up being a bit like LIV golf, I could see it sort of heading that way. If the BBL is not careful, it could get overrun by the amount of cricket that's going on around the world and it's going to be hard to compete with because the IPL teams are just so powerful."

Maxwell, smashed an unbeaten 154 in January to record the highest-ever individual score in BBL history. The 34-year-old said he doesn't intend on going anywhere.

"I sort of feel a bit like Rory McIlroy because I've been a part of the BBL for so long, it's been a massive part of my career, it's been a massive part of me growing as a player," he said. "I sort of owe it to make sure that I'm at the forefront trying to stick by it, trying to stick up for it."

Glenn Maxwell, pictured here in action for Australia at the T20 World Cup.
Glenn Maxwell in action for Australia at the T20 World Cup. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Glenn Maxwell opens up on freak leg injury

Speaking late last month, Maxwell provided new details about the manner in which he broke his leg. The Victorian said he was devastated that he will miss a big chunk of Sheffield Shield cricket that could have allowed him to press his case for a recall to the Test side ahead of next year's tour of India.

“One of my mates, who was also one of my schoolteachers, we were laughing about something and I pretended to chase him off somewhere,” Maxwell said. “I reckon we both took about three or four steps out there, and both slipped at the same time. I just got my foot stuck a little bit, and he fell, unfortunately at a really bad angle and landed straight on my leg.

Glenn Maxwell, pictured here with wife Vini Raman at the 2020 Cricket Australia Awards.
Glenn Maxwell with wife Vini Raman at the 2020 Cricket Australia Awards. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images) (Graham Denholm via Getty Images)

“It just snapped. I heard and felt every part of it. It was pretty painful. I was screaming a bit and he was like, ‘please tell me you’re joking, please tell me you’re joking’. I probably didn’t sleep for two days while I was in agony. It was it was a pretty horrible couple of days. My wife was unbelievable through it all.

“I shattered my fibula. So that one I think was the first snap I heard. It was snapped in half, but it also shattered through the bone. There was a bit of a chip off the tibia as well (and) I ruptured all the ligaments on top of my foot as well … the syndesmosis ligaments, they’re all ruptured. I did a good job of it for such an innocuous thing."

with AAP

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