"Not happy" - Why Aussie cricket coach fired up at debutant's accessory

Toasties, microphones, celebration videos … and watches.

Another of Justin Langer's pet peeves has been unveiled, with the Australian coach fuming at one of his players for donning a Casio watch on the field.

Leaks from within the Australian dressing room of players' grievances with Langer have trickled out since last summer and were amplified by dismal performances during recent tours against the West Indies and Bangladesh.

Last month, Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley made a public show of support for Langer before reports emerged he contacted senior players directly just hours later in an attempt to mend the growing rift within the dressing room.

Hockley and CA chairman Earl Eddings organised a phone hook-up with senior team members to discuss the playing group's relationship with Langer, whose reported demanding, stroppy temperament was ruffling feathers.

Back in January, Langer infamously banned star batter Marnus Labuschagne from snacking on a toastie during the Gabba Test against India, and the 50-year-old seemingly has a problem with jewellery as well.

Speaking on the Cricket, Et Cetera podcast, The Australian's Peter Lalor detailed the moment Langer gave uncapped bowler Nathan Ellis a spray for wearing his watch during a T20 match in Saint Lucia back in July.

Early in the fifth T20 match against the West Indies, Ellis claimed a regulation catch at cover to help dismiss opening batter Evin Lewis for 79.

The Hobart Hurricanes speedster beamed with joy after claiming his first catch in international cricket, albeit as a substitute fielder.

But after returning to the sheds, Ellis was unprepared for Langer's reaction.

"He went on as a sub and took quite a reasonable catch, and then went off and was feeling pretty chuffed with himself," Lalor said.

"He saw JL approaching the dugout and thought, 'Oh here we go, an elephant stamp from the coach.'

"No. Justin was not happy, not happy at all.

"Apparently he made the mistake of wearing his Casio watch on the field, and JL doesn't believe in jewellery on the field, not even a Casio watch, and gave him a bake for it."

Test captain Tim Paine had Ellis on his SEN Hobart radio show last month, where the pair dived into the incident.

"One of the things with JL, he absolutely hates blokes who wear anything jewellery-related onto the cricket field," Paine said. "Poor old Ell's got no idea about this, no one's given him the heads up.

"He's gone out, taken a catch — got an absolute burst for it, didn't you?"

Ellis replied: "Yeah. And I was so stoked too because I got on for one over, first time I'd been on the park for Australia, first time I'd put on the clothes.

"I was so stoked and got off and got an absolute serve. Bit of an anticlimax."

Ellis made his international debut a few weeks later against Bangladesh, taking a hat-trick in the third T20 at Dhaka.

He joined an illustrious list of Australians to achieve the rare feat in T20 internationals – Brett Lee, Ashton Agar and Megan Schutt.

The 27-year-old has since been named a travelling reserve in Australia's squad for next month's T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Ellis made his Indian Premier League debut this week, representing the Punjab Kings in its thrilling victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He was the highest wicket-taker for the Hurricanes in the Big Bash League last summer, snaring 20 scalps in 14 matches.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission