Rumours had been circulating for months that new Queensland signing Usman Khawaja wanted to leave NSW, according to Bulls coach Darren Lehmann.
And he reckoned a NSW batsman who had already made a successful move to Queensland – Peter Forrest – helped convince Khawaja to walk away.
Less than 24 hours after Phil Hughes’ departure, fellow Test discards Khawaja and Nathan Hauritz left NSW and signed with Queensland for the next two seasons.
Like Hughes, fellow left-handed batsman Khawaja lost his Test spot last summer and along with off-spinner Hauritz hopes to break back into the Australian side via the Bulls rather than the Blues.
It is a tremendous coup for Lehmann who had heard months of speculation before Khawaja approached him about a move north.
But the loss of three players in quick succession has raised eyebrows about the state of NSW cricket.
Certainly the Blues’ depth will be tested after the trio’s departure followed the retirement of Simon Katich and Phil Jaques while Brett Lee rejected a contract.
“The whispers were around the traps for months that he wanted to move,” Lehmann said on Friday.
“Obviously there have been things going on down south that are not our concern.
“That’s three (leaving NSW) in a couple of days and all of them are leaving for cricket reasons, I understand.
“But I can’t comment on what is going on down there – that is for them to worry about.”
Last season Forrest left NSW due to a lack of opportunity and relocated to Brisbane – with spectacular success.
After just five Shield games for the Bulls, Forrest forced his way into the national one-day squad and scored his maiden ODI hundred in just his fourth innings for Australia.
Lehmann said Forrest’s meteoric rise – and a quiet word – no doubt influenced Khawaja.
“He (Forrest) probably had words behind the scenes with Usman I imagine and Nathan as well about the program up here,” he said.
“He (Forrest) is a shining light from last season and on tour with Australia at the moment.
“That helps when players do that – it encourages players to come.”
Khawaja, 25, described the decision to leave NSW as “the toughest of my career”.
“I’m extremely excited about joining Queensland and taking my cricket to the next level,” he said in a statement.
“I have a big role and it’s a perfect environment for me to grow as a player and a person.”
Khawaja has played six Tests, scoring 263 runs at 29.22.
Lehmann said he also hoped to “reinvigorate” the international career of Hauritz who played the last of his 17 Tests in 2010.
Hauritz, 30, will start training next week while Khawaja will arrive in September after his English county stint with Derbyshire.
