James Faulkner has taken aim at the Hobart Hurricanes after contract talks between the player and club broke down.
The 31-year-old and the Hurricanes were unable to agree to terms on a new deal leaving him without a club ahead of BBL|11.
The Hurricanes tabled the all-rounder an initial one-year contract extension – an offer Faulkner found “disrespectful” based on what he has given to Tasmanian cricket.
Faulkner denied a multi-year deal was ever discussed during negotiations with the Hurricanes.
“I’m obviously not on board (at the Hurricanes),” he told SEN Hobart’s Jack and Painey.
“It is very disappointing. I wanted to be a part of the Hurricanes and represented Tasmania. I'm just shattered at how it's all played out.
“They brought an initial offer to my manager… he was embarrassed to bring it (to me). I found that pretty hard to take when I first heard it on the phone - found it pretty disrespectful for what I've given to Tasmanian cricket. I've put my heart and soul into it.
“To hear the initial offer… it cut pretty deep.
“It’s all OK for them to say they want me, but when they offered what they did, it was very clear that they didn't want me. They just left me in the background after they promised they were going to sort of it. They actually called me in before I went to the Pakistan Super League to apologise, and it still never got sorted out.
“They did offer a couple of (more) times. It was the initial offer and not feeling wanted - I know what I'm worth. I didn't want more, I just wanted what was fair and maybe a little less.
“It comes back to that first offer - I didn’t feel respected as a player or as a person or a Tasmanian.”
Faulkner, a key member of Australia's World Cup-winning squad in 2015, took a parting swipe at Hobart head coach Adam Griffith.
“They used injury against me the whole time which is quite disappointing,” Faulkner said.
“Last season I had an eight-week hamstring and I tried to come back in three-and-a-half weeks and put my body on the line to come back so we had a shot at making finals. For the coach to use that against me I felt was wrong.
“People don't really know the whole story, but that cut me deep when I heard that on the news the other night.
“I've never had an issue with Cricket Tasmania, the board, the players and the supporters - I've loved every part of being a Tasmanian cricketer. Through this negotiation with certain people there's been a breakdown in relationship.
“When you watch the news, and you see who I thought was one of my mates as well as the head coach say the bowling group and the team have performed well without me and that we need to move on and that he didn't really care - that's like sticking a knife straight in my back.
“That’s not called for.”
Faulkner says he's now been left “stranded” from signing for another BBL team due to Cricket Australia’s embargo period.
The Tasmanian will continue playing in overseas T20 tournaments like the Pakistan Super League.
He took 36 wickets in 25 games for the Hurricanes at an economy rate of 8.02 after signing a three-year deal ahead of BBL|08.