Langer has done a disservice to himself and cricket, and game must move on without him

What a delight this week to see Josh Hazlewood justifying Cricket Australia’s decision to appoint Pat Cummins as the national captain.

The “Cummins for captain” campaign had one major point of dissension: he was a fast bowler. The implication being that cricketers of such ilk are physically overtaxed and mentally incapable – false rationale that is repeatedly disproved, as Hazlewood demonstrated while winning the second one-day international against England.

The delight for Hazlewood was that he only had the reins for a single “fill-in” game; he doesn’t have to concern himself with the multitude of press conferences, match referee meetings, team talks, selection conferences, nor bear the brunt of historical whinging from a former coach.

At the risk of pumping the bellows on this one, Pat Cummins said in February that Justin Langer was “welcome in the Australian dressing room at any time”. So, no hard feelings there from Cummins and a pointer to a clear conscience and actions of integrity. That statement was made when Langer refused a contract extension.

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