Test cricket great Justin Langer is certain Cricket Australia's 'A' tour to South Africa will go ahead and provide a huge boost to Canberra product Jason Behrendorff's Test ambitions.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Langer "will be amazed" if the tour is boycotted and says common sense will prevail as Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association look to iron out a bitter player pay dispute.
Behrendorff is included in the Australia A squad slated to begin a tour of South Africa in a fortnight but memorandum of understanding negotiations dragging out beyond the June 30 deadline could result in a lockout.
It means the Western Australian fast bowler could be caught in the crossfire with serious concerns the tour will be boycotted by a number of players.
ACA officials will meet on Sunday and a player boycott that would leave 105-Test veteran Langer stunned looks increasingly likely, in another setback for Behrendorff's international hopes.
CA-contracted players Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird and Travis Head have been offered unpaid, all expenses covered deals to play on the tour, so they won't harm their international aspirations.
Other frontline stars have been threatened with six-month bans if they play in unsanctioned matches, despite about 230 players facing effective unemployment from this weekend.
"I'm sure it will go ahead. Like all of us, we're all hopeful and confident that a common sense negotiation will get settled and they'll come to a win-win situation for everyone's sake," Langer said.
"I'd be very surprised if the tour doesn't go ahead. I will be amazed if that doesn't go ahead. The thing is, cricket is very well off and the show has to go on as they say. I'm sure it will, I'm sure common sense will prevail."
Behrendorff battled a host of injury worries last summer and the South African tour loomed as a huge boost for the Ashes hopeful, who claimed a stunning 14-wicket haul in his return to the Sheffield Shield in February.
Langer has his fingers crossed the tour goes ahead in the hope it can catapult Behrendorff into Test calculations.
"It's a huge opportunity. There is no player more professional in Australian cricket than Jason," Langer said.
"Let's just hope he has a good, solid, steady run at it all and gets not only this opportunity for Australia A, but plays well for WA and then perhaps the chance to play international cricket down the track.
"It's a very clear possibility now with this selection for Australia A. He has huge potential to play for Australia one day.
"Any left-arm bowler is always attractive to a selector, particularly one who can swing it, and he can swing it. He's a good athlete, he's a very good fieldsman and he's okay with the bat as well, so he's a good package.
"He deserves every opportunity that's coming his way. I saw him many years ago when I was captaining the Prime Minister's XI game and I said to the WACA back then, 'you've got to have a good look at this Behrendorff kid'."
If Australian cricket's worst fears are realised and a player boycott carries on through to August's tour of Bangladesh and a home Ashes series, Behrendorff will be fronted with a tough decision.
The 27-year-old could have to choose between solidarity with the playing group and foregoing a baggy green, or breaking ranks to make a dream come true.
Langer says there is "no one more professional in the game" than Behrendorff and for that reason he wants to see him take the next step in his career.
Australia A four-day squad: Usman Khawaja (c), Glenn Maxwell (vc), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Jackson Bird, Alex Carey, Hilton Cartwright, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth.
Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Hilton Cartwright, Sam Heazlett, Daniel Hughes, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth
Australia A tour of South Africa
Four-day matches:
12-15 July: Australia A v South Africa A, Tukkies
19-22 July: Australia A v South Africa A, Senwes Park
One-day tri-series:
July 26: Australia A v India A, Tukkies
July 30: Australia A v South Africa A, Groenkloof
August 1: Australia A v India A, Tukkies
August 5: Australia A v South Africa A, Tukkies
August 8: Tri Series Final, Tukkies
