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Why Glenn McGrath was axed from Ashes commentary over betting link but ex-England star walked free
Glenn McGrath was axed over a direct Bet365 deal, while Phil Tufnell stayed on ABC’s Ashes team as his betting link came only through a sponsored podcast.
Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath was dropped from the national broadcaster’s commentary team for the impending Ashes series after the ABC discovered his commercial partnership with Bet365. Yet the same broadcaster is keeping former England spinner Phil Tufnell on its Ashes coverage despite his own ties to a betting company.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Tufnell is part of the cricket podcast Stick To Cricket, which is sponsored by the British betting exchange Betfair. However, the ABC has confirmed that his role on the commentary team does not constitute a conflict of interest — despite the Betfair logo being prominently featured in the branding of the podcast he hosts alongside former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook, and former player-turned-commentator David “Bumble” Lloyd.
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“The ABC is aware one of our cricket experts from the UK is a regular contributor to a podcast sponsored by a gambling company,” an ABC spokesperson said. “This arrangement is not a breach of the ABC’s Conflict of Interest policy or External Work Guidelines.”
This suggests that while both McGrath and Tufnell have links to betting companies, the distinction between the two situations led to different outcomes. McGrath had a direct commercial contract with Bet365 as part of a brand campaign alongside former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Tufnell, in contrast, is only a contributor to a show that happens to be sponsored by a betting company.
The ABC’s decision to drop McGrath this summer sparked reactions beyond cricket, drawing criticism from former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“I’m no fan of online betting, but I am a big fan of Glenn McGrath, the McGrath Foundation and cricket,” Morrison posted on X. “Glenn is entitled to earn a living and secure support for his very worthy charity as he judges. ABC should just say thank you and be happy that Glenn was willing to be on their team.”
