BRISBANE: Australian Test opener Usman Khawaja lashed out Friday at `inflammatory` and `categorically untrue` comments from Queensland`s head of cricket after he missed a crucial Sheffield Shield game.

The 38-year-old did not feature in Queensland`s clash last week with South Australia in Adelaide which saw them reach the final of the domestic red-ball competition.

He instead flew to Melbourne to watch the Australian Grand Prix.

Queensland`s head of cricket Joe Dawes subsequently took aim at the veteran batsman.

`Our medical staff said all the way through he has been available for selection,` Dawes was widely cited as saying earlier this week.`That is my understanding from Cricket Australia staff as well. No hamstring issues as far as we are concerned.

`It`s just disappointing he didn`t play a game for Queensland when he had an opportunity to,` Dawes added. `I have got a bunch of blokes here that all want to play.

Khawaja called a press conference on Friday to fire back, saying he was managing an ongoing hamstring issue under a plan formulated with Cricket Australia medical staff and chief selector George Bailey.

Khawaja is contracted to Cricket Australia.

`Joe Dawes came out the other day and said a few inflammatory things, which was really disappointing to me as a player,` he said. `Joe said the medical staff had no idea(about hamstring injury). That is 100 per cent wrong.

`I`ve talked to both our physios... I was talking to the Australian physio the whole time.

Everyone knew about it.

`That was probably one of the most shocking things I`ve heard said, which was really disappointing, because it`s categorically untrue.` He added that he had Cricket Australia`s blessing to attend the grand prix.

`I go home and curl up in a ball or I go and watch F1,` Khawaja said. `I still look after my body. It`s not by any coincidence I`m 38 and still playing.

Queensland meet South Australia again in the Shield final next week, with Khawaja hoping to be fit for selection.-AFP