Cricket war rages between Khawaja and Bulls

Usman Khawaja’s decision to miss Queensland’s most recent Sheffield Shield game has come under fire after he was spotted at the Formula 1 in Melbourne over the weekend.

While the Australian opener missed the game with a hamstring issue, Queensland’s Head of Elite Cricket Joe Dawes told News Corp’s Robert Craddock that the Bulls didn’t consider the injury significant enough to miss the clash against South Australia.

Dawes also stated that Queensland considered Khawaja ‘available to play’ and confirmed they were disappointed he didn’t make himself available, particularly given they were hoping to secure a place in the Shield Final.

While Queensland were able to qualify for the Final with a draw, also against South Australia, Dawes refused to confirm whether Khawaja would be automatically picked for the next game.

Speaking on SENQ Breakfast with Coz and Heals, Queensland Cricket Deputy Chair Ian Healy revealed that Cricket Australia weren’t even aware that the contracted Test player was set to miss the Shield game.

As a result, he thinks that the governing body should feel some heat for allowing Khawaja to miss the First Class clash when his state considered him ready to play.

“I’m glad I didn’t have my television on (to see him at the F1),” Healy said on SENQ Breakfast.

“Cricket Australia should feel a little under the pump with this, I spoke with them, and they weren’t aware of Queensland’s concerns with him not playing for Queensland, they wish we would have rung them earlier.

“It was the last round of the Sheffield Shield to get into the final… I wanted Cricket Australia to feel a little bit of heat for allowing that to happen.”

Khawaja was photographed at the Grand Prix and was even captured on the grid pre-race by television cameras at Albert Park.

The Sheffield Shield Final between South Australia and Queensland at Karen Rolton Oval is set to begin on Wednesday, March 26.