Livingstone, who was important for Britain’s T20 World Cup win recently, has been removed from the rest of the BBL because of his expanded global responsibility.
(IANS) Melbourne, November 22:Due to an increased international workload, England all-rounder and T20 specialist Liam Livingstone has decided not to play for Melbourne Renegades in the upcoming Australian Big Bash League (BBL).
The 29-year-old was expected to be available for the first eight games of the tournament, which begin on December 13, but the decision has left the Renegades “disappointed.”
“The Melbourne Renegades can confirm Liam Livingstone has withdrawn from BBL-12,” the Renegades stated in a Tuesday statement.
The Renegades selected Livingstone, who was a part of England’s recent success at the T20 World Cup, with the first pick in the inaugural BBL Overseas Draft. He was anticipated to be available for the tournament’s first eight matches.
“Since the Draft, Livingstone’s international commitments have grown. In December, he was added to England’s Test squad for a series, and Andre Russell, a West Indian all-rounder, was signed in his place for the first four BBL games.” Livingstone has now withdrawn from the remainder of the tournament due to his increased workload,” the statement read.
James Rosengarten, the general manager of the Melbourne Renegades, stated, “We’re obviously disappointed that we won’t have Liam as part of our team this summer, but we understand his decision.”
“We chose Liam with our first-round draft pick because he is a fantastic cricketer. His schedule has changed since then due to additional international responsibilities, and we wish him the best as he strives for a Test debut.
“We are aware that Liam had anticipated working with David Saker, our head coach, and playing for our club. We hope to be able to accomplish that in the upcoming seasons.
“Over the past few months, we have been in constant communication with Liam and his management, which has allowed us to implement a strategy that is best for the Renegades this season.
“We’ve proactively gotten Andre Russell for the initial four matches and know the game ability to dominate he will add to our group.
“We look forward to being able to announce another big-name addition for the Renegades soon,” stated the organization. “This news has allowed us to explore replacement options with greater availability beyond the first half of the tournament.”
The Renegades will play their first game in the BBL-12 on December 15 in Cairns against the Brisbane Heat.
On December 18, they will play their first home game against the Sydney Thunder at Marvel Stadium.