JUSTIN LANGER HITS OUT AT CRICKET AUSTRALIA CHAIRMAN AFTER EXIT — BBC Sport
Justin Langer says internal politics at Cricket Australia are the reason he left as head coach of the men’s side. He resigned in February having been offered only a six-month contract extension after humiliating England in the Ashes and winning the Twenty20 World Cup. At a chamber of commerce event in Perth, he told about a meeting he had with then-acting chairman of Cricket Australia, Richard Freudenstein, the day after his acrimonious split. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘It must make you feel so good that all your mates are supporting you in the media.’ I said, ‘Yeah it is, acting chairman, but with all due respect, those mates are also the all-time greats of Australian cricket. They are the fabric of Australian cricket.’” Former team-mates including Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and the late Shane Warne had been vocal about the way Langer was being treated. Reports had suggested some players were unhappy with his leadership style. Langer was linked with the then-vacant England coaching job but said it was never in his mind to take the role: “I’ve never spoken to English cricket. The thought of coaching England… mate!”
CANADA CANCEL IRAN FRIENDLY AFTER MP OUTCRY OVER FLIGHT PS752
Canada Soccer has cancelled their men’s friendly with Iran in Vancouver on 5 June after criticism by Canadian MPs. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down Flight PS752 in 2020, killing all 176 passengers and crew including 85 Canadians and permanent residents. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the game was “a bad idea.” The game was set to be part of Canada’s preparations for the World Cup in Qatar, which will be only their second World Cup and first since 1986. Families of those who died aboard Flight PS752 said they planned to protest outside the stadium if the match went ahead.