MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australia head coach Justin Langer has defended the board’s decision to lay off staff despite losing batting coach Graeme Hick from his coaching team.

Cricket Australia announced on Wednesday 40 redundancies across the organisation as part of restructuring measures to cut costs and shore up finances hit by the coronavirus shutdown.

Langer said it was tough breaking the news to former England batsman Hick, who had been with the Australia team since 2016.

“Having to tell Graeme Hick yesterday morning was like facing (Curtly) Ambrose and (Courtney) Walsh without a helmet and a box on,” Langer told reporters in Perth on Wednesday, referring to the fearsome West Indies pace duo.

Former test opener Langer urged the board and the players’ union to thrash out their differences behind “closed doors”.