"Don't see Australia allowing many of our players going to play in their Shield competition" - Former England spinner on Steve Smith's Sussex stint
Former England off-spinner Ashley Giles has expressed his concerns about England allowing Australian players to play county cricket before the 2023 Ashes. Giles highlighted that Cricket Australia wouldn't let English players compete in the Sheffield Shield.
Star batter Steve Smith became the latest Aussie cricketer to play in county cricket, signing with Sussex for three matches. The likes of Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Sean Abbott, and Michael Neser are the other Australian players featuring for different county sides.
Speaking at the Bob Willis Fund golf day, Ashley Giles sees it as a blessing for players like Smith, but doubts if Australia will return the favour. He said:
"It's a good thing for Steve Smith, I don't know, there are two sides to it.
"We want to see these great players play in our County Championship, it brings people in to watch the game, but I can't see it happening if it was the other way around. I don't see Australia allowing many of our players going to play in their Shield competition before an Ashes series."
Earlier, England Test captain Ben Stokes also suggested that he wasn't too impressed by the move to allow Steve Smith to play county cricket. Ahead of his Sussex debut, Smith, however, declared that the stint has nothing to do with the Ashes preparations.
"I have no issue with that whatsoever" - England cricket's managing director Rob Key on Steve Smith playing for Sussex
By contrast, England men's cricket's managing director Robert Key saw the positives as players like Steve Smith can raise the standard of county cricket. He also suggested that players can find a chink in his armoury, elaborating:
"I have no issue with that whatsoever, I mean how I think, I was so lucky in my career playing with the likes of Steve Waugh, Andrew Symonds, got to know Shane Warne, all these guys I played with in county cricket.
"There will be so much we will gain from having Steve Smith playing county cricket, and actually it doesn't happen enough where you get great players coming in and adding to your domestic competitions, especially four-day cricket.
"I think there will be someone in that Sussex team, or someone he plays against, and he will take something from it that will be to the benefit of English cricket."
The first Ashes Test starts on June 16 at Edgbaston.