Matt Short and Meg Lanning Opt Out of State Contracts
Matt Short has shared his reasons for turning down a state contract with Victoria, following in the footsteps of Meg Lanning, who also recently opted out. This move comes as part of a growing trend among Australian cricket stars prioritizing international T20 leagues over domestic competitions.
Earlier this month, Victoria announced that both Short and Glenn Maxwell had decided not to take up state contracts for the upcoming domestic season. Short has relocated to the Gold Coast with his wife and young child, while Maxwell has retired from ODI cricket and reduced his involvement in red-ball matches. Both players are focusing on T20 and global franchise leagues, which makes holding a state contract for Sheffield Shield and domestic 50-over formats less appealing.
Speaking to Cricket.com.au, Short explained that he hopes this decision will help him secure a spot in Australia’s T20 side. He also mentioned the challenges of traveling from Queensland to Victoria for state games, especially with a young child at home. “The Vics have been really good for me, not only with these discussions, but probably over the last couple of years,” Short said during a trip to Pakistan ahead of three ODIs. “Moving up north to Queensland with my family, there’s been a lot of discussions there with travel and availability and stuff like that.”
“At the end of the day, my main goal is to play as much white-ball cricket for Australia as I can, and if there are overseas tournaments that I want to choose over playing state cricket to further develop my game in the white-ball space, then I’ll try and take that and we’ll go from there.”
Despite being part of Australia’s ODI squad, Short has found that 50-over state cricket is rarely used as a selection criterion for the national team. He was unexpectedly left out of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad and is now aiming to make a comeback.
Meg Lanning Follows Suit
Meanwhile, Aussie legend Meg Lanning made the same decision on Tuesday, walking away from her state contract with Victoria. The former Australia captain has retired from international cricket and will now focus on T20 franchise leagues full-time.
“We support Meg’s decision,” said Victoria’s head of female cricket Kirby Short. “The women’s game is growing, and players are now presented with opportunities across the world, which is ultimately a positive reflection of the evolution of our game.”
Lanning will now concentrate on the Women’s Premier League in India, as well as The Hundred and T20 Blast competitions in England.
This shift in focus highlights the changing landscape of cricket, where players are increasingly choosing global T20 leagues over traditional state contracts. As more athletes prioritize international opportunities, it raises questions about the future of domestic cricket and how it will adapt to these evolving trends.
