Betting partnership leads to sudden exit
Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath has been dropped from ABC’s commentary lineup just two days before the start of the Ashes series in Perth, following revelations of his involvement in a commercial campaign with betting company bet365.
McGrath was set to be one of the prominent voices in the broadcaster’s coverage of the five-Test series against England, continuing a long-standing role in ABC’s summer cricket broadcasts. However, that plan was scrapped after his promotional association with bet365 — a campaign also involving Ricky Ponting — came to light.
According to multiple reports (The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald), the arrangement conflicted with ABC’s internal policies prohibiting commentators from holding commercial ties to gambling organisations. McGrath’s management had reportedly informed the ABC of the campaign nearly a month before the series began, aware of the potential for it to impact his role.
In a brief public statement, the broadcaster confirmed McGrath’s departure. “The ABC and Glenn McGrath have mutually parted ways for this Ashes,” a spokesperson said.
The statement also left the door open for future collaboration, adding, “We look forward to seeing Glenn around the grounds throughout the series and would welcome working with him in the future.”
Echoes of the Mitchell Johnson controversy
The decision to remove McGrath reflects ABC’s strict stance on gambling affiliations — a policy that has previously come under scrutiny.
In 2022, former fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was similarly removed from the broadcaster’s coverage after securing a deal with Bet Nation. At the time, Johnson publicly criticised the ABC’s decision and its implications for commentator independence.
“I don’t understand and you start to wonder about what you can and can’t say if you are calling for them,” Johnson said in an interview with ABC in 2022..
He added, “It’s blown me away a little bit. Do we have to make sure we have to align with the ABC’s moral compass?”
Ultimately, Johnson acknowledged the limits of his influence on the situation. “There’s nothing I can do about it.”
ABC shuffles its broadcast team
McGrath’s absence prompted ABC to reshuffle its commentary panel ahead of the first Test. Tom Moody has been brought in to replace McGrath in the rotation, joining a team that includes Darren Lehmann, Jason Gillespie, Stuart Clark, Jim Maxwell, and Corbin Middlemas.
While McGrath won’t be part of ABC’s Ashes coverage, he is expected to continue commentary duties elsewhere — including with the BBC during the series.
