Langer: Telling Hick about redundancy like facing Ambrose and Walsh with no helmet or box

Melbourne, June 18: Justin Langer has compared telling Australia batting coach Graeme Hick he was being made redundant to facing Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh without a box or helmet.

Hick was among 40 members of staff to be laid off by Cricket Australia on Wednesday in cost-cutting measures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Former England batsman Hick had been on the coaching staff since 2016.

Australia head coach likened giving Hick the bad news to not being fully protected with former West Indies paceman Ambrose and Walsh charging in.

"Having to tell Graeme Hick yesterday morning was like facing Ambrose and Walsh without a helmet and a box on," Langer said.

"He's become a really good mate, his work ethic is second to none, his experience as a cricket person and his integrity, you couldn't meet a nicer person.

"We're going to have to lead a smaller staff but we'll get the job done and we'll be ready when cricket resumes.

"[The players] have been supported brilliantly for a long time and there's no reason they won't be able to be supported equally as well."

A clear winner! Graeme Hick is voted @WorcsCCC's greatest player #CountyBest pic.twitter.com/NewRecx5B1

— County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 10, 2020

Langer says Australia are preparing to return to the field in September, but he stated it is too early to commit to a tour of England.

"I'm not sure when the soonest is. There's obviously complexities to all these things," the former opening batsman added.

"Same with England. I'd imagine it's really important for English cricket that the Australian cricket team goes there if we can. But it's not as simple as that.

"With isolation periods and preparation then when we come back [and] when the ICC make the decision in July about the World Cup.

"Then if the IPL is going on, there's so many moving parts at the moment. What I know is we'll focus on being ready for early September."