MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 31: Steve Smith of the 6ers in action during Big Bash League Finals match between the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Sixers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 31, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images)
The Big Bash League have blocked the Sydney Sixers from adding Steve Smith to their squad on two occasions, and now general manager Alistair Dobson has opened up on the decision.
In a matter of fairness for the other teams in the competition, the BBL blocked Smith from playing as the Sixers were attempting to add him to their squad as a replacement player.
Smith's availability only came to pass following the postponement of New Zealand's white ball tour to Australia, which was supposed to kick-off in the coming days.
That postponement, as well as COVID and injuries within the Sixers camp, caused them to request Smith be able to sign a contract with them through to the end of the season.
However, the BBL, after talking with the remaining state bodies, opted against changing their rules, which allow COVID replacement players to be selected from a local player replacement pool.
Dobson told SEN Radio that the Sixers failed to sign Smith at the beginning of the tournament, and that he didn't fit the rules for a replacement player.
“Clearly we’d love him to be able to play and be part of the BBL,” Dobson said.
“To go back one step, in our contracting rules, there’s the opportunity for clubs to contract players at the start of the year and to have 18 players on their list.
“A lot of clubs contract Australian players knowing they’re not going to be able to play a lot of games, but they want to carry them anyway – Travis Head and Alex Carey are good examples, as is Nathan Lyon.
“Steve Smith wasn’t on the Sixers list. They’ve looked to bring him in as a replacement player. We have some quite specific rules around that, he didn’t fit those rules or that criteria as the rules are presented.”