Aussie Test stars Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon to play cricket this Friday in a charity match

23 of the current and former Australian stars are set to take field when the Bulls Master take on the Baggy Blues in the State of Origin Twenty20 annual gala event in Mackay. The annual gala is conducted in the name of the Bravehearts Foundation.

Both the sides will be divided come this Friday, where Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Nic Maddinson & Co. face the stern test of Cricket Australia (CA) board member Michael Kasprowicz and others in the name of a good cause. The future charity match will help the Aussie stars during their out-of-contract period, with CA looking at all kinds of possibilities with the players.

Former Australian skipper and legend Ian Chappell has criticised the CA over their attitude while stating that the players are being underpaid. The former skipper also added that the cricketing board is contradicting their own ideologies with the on-going conflict with the players.

CA has also been warned by the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) that any attempt to stop big names from raising money for their colleagues badly out-of-pocket due to the pay war would constitute a restraint of trade.

ACA and Ian Chappell

“Players have resolved to support any out of contract players who are restrained from post-employment professional cricket opportunities,” said the ACA this week.

“This would apply to any refusal to provide an out of contract player with a No Objection Certificate (NOC). It would also apply to any threat to lock players out of future employment opportunities if they engage in an ‘exhibition game’ to raise money for their unemployed teammates.” added the Association.

Chappell, on the other hand, had issues with the board over their stance on players’ salary, with the former skipper stating that: “But isn’t one of the problems with losing players that the young guy who has the choice between cricket and football chooses football if he thinks he can make more money? He’s got more chances of making it as a footballer than he does a cricketer.

“So the argument does not stand up. You’re saying on one hand you want more money to enhance the grassroots side, then you want to cut down the amount of money they’re being paid.” added the Australian legend.

The legend concluded the controversy by saying that its the money that drives players such as David Warner, Steve Smith and Starc to perform and taking the money away from the game would take away the talents to Football.