Western Australian coach Tom Moody won't be drawn into the debate over whether suspended WA batsman Luke Pomersbach should have been granted an 'extraordinary' drivers licence after his infamous drink driving escapades last August.
Pomersbach was granted the amended licence last Tuesday by the Perth Magistrates Court, allowing him to drive on four days of the week between 8:00am and 8:00pm.
The licence was approved by Magistrate Richard Bayly, despite the 25-year-old's full licence still being subject to a six-month suspension after he pleaded guilty to driving with a blood alcohol level higher than 0.08 on a drunken night that also saw him crash his Toyota Prado into a wheelie bin before assaulting a police officer.
Bayly accepted Pomersbach faced substantial difficulty travelling on public transport from his home in Scarborough to training at local side Gosnells, some thirty kilometres away.
But the Court's decision sparked public outrage, particularly as Pomersbach said he simply didn't know how to use public transport, prompting state government ministers to review the grounds for granting extraordinary licenses.
Moody, though, wouldn't be drawn into the debate.
"To be honest with you it's not my area of expertise," the WA coach said at the Warriors' season launch on Thursday morning.
"That's what the courts are there for and I can't really make a comment on that."
Along with being fined $3500 by the court, the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA) fined Pomersbach $10,000, half of which is suspended, and banned him from playing for the Warriors until the end of the 2010-11 season.
However the hard-hitting batsman could return to the side on January 1 next year if the WACA is 'completely satisfied' he has attended 'all medical and counselling sessions' and 'strictly adhered to the terms of his playing contract'.
Moody said this meant Pomersbach hadn't been training with the Warriors ahead of Sunday's Ford Ranger Cup clash with Queensland, as the coach wanted the squad's full focus on atoning for a dismal 2008-09 campaign that saw it finish second-last in all competitions.
"I had a discussion with Luke last week and we both agreed that there was no point in him starting in October, given that he's not going to be available until the new year," Moody said.
"It just allows the team to focus on the start of the season (and) he can focus on what he needs to do."
"Luke was very conscious of that as well. He didn't want to come in and suddenly there'd be a big media distraction on his arrival to a training session, when really we've got an important season to kick off in a positive way."
Warriors skipper and Australian batsman Marcus North said this didn't mean the Warriors weren't there for Pomersbach.
"I'm certainly there on a personal level," North said.
"I've known Luke for a number of years now and my support, as much as everyone in the squad, is there for Luke to get himself sorted so he has the opportunity to play professional cricket."
"I think the processes in place are giving Luke the best opportunity to get himself right."
"I'm sure when he meets all those requirements and the time comes, that he'll fit very nicely back in the squad."