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CA support staff all key: Kane Richardson

3 minute read

Kane Richardson has returned to pre-season with a coachless South Australia, but says he is ready to roll for whatever is thrown at him this season.

KANE RICHARDSON.
KANE RICHARDSON. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

Kane Richardson is ready to roll with the punches this summer, regardless of whatever decision is made about Australia's schedule and support staff.

The Twenty20 World Cup, which Australia is slated to host from October 18 until November 15, shaped as a potential career highlight for Richardson.

The fast bowler had helped Australia claim top spot on the T20 rankings and loomed as a near-certain selection in the World Cup squad.

However, uncertainty has clouded that tournament since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the International Cricket Council (ICC) has indicated it will not make a call until next month.

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts has also been kept busy in recent months, plotting a path through immense uncertainty as he seeks to cut CA's costs by approximately 25 per cent.

CA staff, including those working alongside national coach Justin Langer under the high-performance umbrella, will soon learn their fate when Roberts finalises a belt-tightening masterplan.

"Whatever decision will be made we'll roll with, but every staff member who has been on tour with us has had an important role to play," Richardson told reporters.

"Don't think there's anyone there who is easy to cut.

"Hopefully we can find a way to keep everyone all together and moving towards what could still be a World Cup on home soil."

Richardson has returned to pre-season training but South Australia, still reeling from the financial fallout of the health crisis, are yet to hire a replacement for head coach Jamie Siddons.

"The good thing for our group is guys are learning to work it out themselves," he said.

The ICC is expected to cancel or postpone this year's T20 World Cup, but the governing body has repeatedly stated it is exploring a number of contingency plans.

"We will only get one chance to make this decision and it needs to be the right one," ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said overnight.

India's cricket board is particularly keen for some certainty, given they are keen to stage an abridged Indian Premier League in the World Cup window.

"Taking as much time as we can to make a decision about something like this is important," Richardson said.

"Whatever decision is made, we'll roll with it."

Richardson also wasn't worried about the prospect of limited match practice before a World Cup, noting if "we are underprepared then so be it, we'll all be fine."

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