Australia’s T20 World Cup 2021-winning wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade has been suspended for two matches by Cricket Australia. Wade breached the CA code of conduct for the third time in 18 months during the domestic One-Day Marsh Cup clash between Tasmania and Victoria which led to a two-match suspension.
Frustrated after facing a dot ball during Tasmania's three-wicket loss, Wade hit the pitch with his bat deliberately to earn the third offense. It breached Article 2.5 of CA code for abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures, and fittings during a match.
Wade did not appeal and accepted the charge. This was his third level one breach in the last 18 months. While all these breaches of the code of conduct were not controversial, it led to an automatic two-match ban.
The 35-year-old will not feature in Tasmania's next two Marsh Cup games against New South Wales on September 27 in Melbourne followed by South Australia clash on October 8 in Adelaide. He will be seen in action again for Tasmania in their opening Sheffield Shield game against South Australia on October 8 in Adelaide.
Batting at no.5, Wade scored 25 runs from 51 balls including two fours. He looked frustrated as he scored runs below the strike rate of 50. As a result, Tasmania could post 224 on the board despite Beau Webster's 86-ball 83. Despite Webster's all-round show, Victoria won the low-scoring encounter by three wickets with 31 balls left to spare.
Return imminent for Wade?
Meanwhile, Wade is in contention to get selected in Australia’s T20I squad for the five-match series against India later this year after the completion of the ODI World Cup 2023.
The 35-year-old wicketkeeper-batter played his last T20I against Afghanistan in November 2022. In Australia's last group-stage clash of T20 World Cup 2022, he scored just six runs. In a close encounter, Australia beat Afghanistan by four runs despite Rashid Khan’s heroics. But the Aaron Finch-led Australia were knocked out of the tournament.
In the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23 season, he was the second-highest run-scorer for Hobart Hurricanes with 307 runs from 12 innings at an average of 25.58 including two half-centuries. Hurricanes finished sixth on the points table with six wins from 14 games.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
