Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer is preparing his team for the BBL semi-final against Sydney Sixers on Wednesday and believes the Scorcher’s best cricket is yet to come.
- rachelsimmo / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
“It was a little bit of a setback against the Stars, but maybe it was a nice wake-up call for us”, he said, referring to the 20-run defeat to the Melbourne Stars in Monday’s final group game. “We’ve fought really hard throughout the BBL campaign, we still haven’t played our best game yet.
“Our fighting instinct has been good, so hopefully we can take that into the semi-final and also bring our A-game.”
Shaun Marsh was selected for Australia’s upcoming Test series against South Africa, before a calf injury ruled him unavailable. The 30-year-old will continue his recovery with the Scorchers but will not play in the semi-final which is a blow to Langer’s plans.
“Obviously Shaun is very disappointed - It seems like it’s going to be a short-term injury.
“I understand Cricket Australia want to arrive for such a tour with all their players fit and fresh and ready to go”, he continued. “I don’t think Shaun Marsh will be that far off.
“We’re hoping he’ll be on the park sooner rather than later.”
“We’d like to think so”, Langer said, when asked whether Marsh might feature in a possible BBL03 Big Final?.
“It’s nearly a week away and with this injury we know how hard the physios have been working on him. You never know.”
The Western Australian Cricket Association has been rocked recently after Tom Triffitt and Tim Armstrong’s drunk and disorderly encounter with police led them to being disciplined.
“I actually feel really sorry for the players”, Langer said. “They are such good kids and they’ve been working so hard.
“I actually saw John Worsfold walking the dog this morning and he said ‘when you think things are going really well, it’s danger times, because life has a way of giving you a wake-up call’.
“It’s a good reminder for everyone here. It’s hard to argue we haven’t been on a great journey over the past 18 months. This is certainly a hiccup. I feel sorry for them, they made really bad decisions and have paid the price.”
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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