TOPIC:

What do you think about the trade of Beer for Hazelwood. To me, it looks like a win for WA. Anyone agree, or am I off the mark?

Actually, it was Beer for Melbourne Star's James Muirhead. This from Perth Now cricket.

Experienced spinner Michael Beer is lost to Perth Scorchers after being part of the first ever Big Bash League trade.

On Friday Beer decided to walk out on Perth in a trade to his home town-based Melbourne Stars, switching places with young leg-spinner James Muirhead for this summer’s high profile Big Bash, starting next month.

The struggling Sydney Thunder and the Stars’ cross-town rivals Melbourne Renegades had also made offers to win the two-time Test left-arm finger spinner.

West Australian cricket great Tom Moody is Renegades director of cricket and had headed up the bid to lure Beer away from Perth.

But in the end he chose the Stars as his destination.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to join the Stars and play again on the MCG with some of my great mates,” Beer said.

“I’m really looking forward to playing alongside Cam White and Kevin Pietersen and the rest of the Stars boys in front of some huge crowds this summer, ” said Beer.

Beer is constantly being overlooked for Scorchers and WA frontline spin bowling duties, with selectors favouring veteran Brad Hogg with his cagey left-arm wrist spinners and emerging young talent Ashton Agar as he develops his left-hand finger spin.

Beer, 30, was the only big name talent at the centre of negotiations to leave Perth in a little known Big Bash trade period this week.

From 9am (EDT) on Monday until 2pm on the east coast on Friday outfits could talk possible trades, similar to the controversial AFL player movement period in October.

The reigning BBL champions insisted on a player in exchange for Beer, with cricket not having any form of national draft when picks could be swapped in any trade deal.

Trading of any player less than a month from the annual high octane series has not taken place before.

Beer’s move is understood to have rocked top Scorchers and West Australian cricket heavyweights.

He was contracted to Perth until the end of next season but was believed to be extremely frustrated at his limited chances to actually play in the Big Bash and for his adopted state at limited-overs and Sheffield Shield level.

Beer played just one match in the successful Matador Cup series last month after only four games in last summer’s Scorchers Big Bash League triumph.

He also only made one four-day Shield appearance last season against Tasmania at the WACA in February when he snared 2-27 from 16 overs and then 0-70 from 22 overs.

He has played 30 first-class games as well as almost 40 T20 engagements with WA and the Scorchers and Tests against England three years ago and West Indies since Beer crossed from Victoria in 2010.

one time only wrote: I heard it was Beer for Muirhead of the Stars. Or did I hear incorrectly?

Oto you are correct and on the money.....Muirhead looked pretty good in last years T20s.....reckon my mate 58 has had one too many beers when writing his post!

yeh sorry ---Muirhead. Trying to do two things at once and you know what it's like.. Men can't multi-task

One s$%^ spinner for another!!

turtle wrote: One s$%^ spinner for another!!

Maybe so, but a 30yr old for a 24yr old. Beery is never going to crack it in the Aussie side, but Muirhead is being watched by the selectors. If we are able to keep him over here, he could be a real asset for us.

he is only here for the 20/20 matches, which he will struggle to get a game behind Hogg and Agar,

he isn't staying to play first class cricket in WA, will be lucky to get a game and will get paid to have a summer holiday in WA