Managing director Hugh Marks intervenes after Stuart Clark comments trigger interview ban
“[Ben Oliver]He manages high-performance cricket but I’m not quite sure what he’s doing at the moment. Then there’s George Bailey, the chairman of the selectors. Does he have the gravitas or leadership skills to tell Andrew McDonald and Steve Smith or Pat Cummins what to do?”
Greenberg said Tuesday the comments were “unfair” and “illegal,” calling them a personal attack.
Stuart Clark returned to his role as ABC commentator on Wednesday.Credit: access point
Clark later called Greenberg at the SCG to discuss the matter, and the pair met near the CA suite in the Victor Trumper Stand.
After being denied a postgame interview by ABC, Marks phoned Greenberg to express his displeasure, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the discussions.
Clark was at the SCG on Wednesday and will continue his commentating role with the ABC, which features the former Test bowler. Clark is also the chief executive of Softball NSW.
ABC broadcaster Corbin Middlemas said before the game on Wednesday that he understood the ABC’s ban on interviews was limited to one day.
“Cricket Australia wasn’t happy about it,” Middlemas said.
Clark also addressed the interview snub on Wednesday and said he stood by his comments.
“Yesterday was a quiet old day. I felt very fulfilled and happy with my day,” Clark said.
“We want to see the cricket and hear from the players. That’s one of the reasons why broadcasters pay so much for the rights. Hopefully we can talk to someone who scores a hundred or scores a five-for.”
“The number of people reaching out to me [who] I haven’t talked to him in years… I’m fine. I had a good night’s sleep. This is my opinion. “Personally, I’ve moved on with my life and it’s not causing any trouble in my life.”
Loading
Greenberg said he made his position clear to Clark.
“I’m not going to get into a verbal fight with Stuart because I have a lot of respect for him, but I will say it when I think someone’s misunderstood,” Greenberg said.
“This time, I thought he overstepped the mark by talking not just about decisions but about individual people. I thought it was personal. I told him that.”
Greenberg and Marks have an interesting history. Former NRL boss Greenberg and Nine Entertainment Company’s former chief executive Marks were on opposite sides of the negotiating table as the NRL scrapped broadcast rights deals.
