Cricket Australia, ACA rubbish reports of end to pay scuffle

Cricket Australia and the player’s union have rubbished reports of a possible end to the ongoing pay dispute soon. Australian media on Monday reported that a truce between both parties has taken place and an agreement might be signed between them shortly. The CA, however, said that negotiations between them are taking place.

Tour of Bangladesh in jeopardy again

This, again, puts the tour of Bangladesh under a cloud as the selected squad has to take part in a preparatory camp in Darwin by next week. The team was scheduled to depart on August 18 to play a 2-match Test series but the likeliness of that happening hinges on a MoU signed by the players. The cricketers have reportedly threatened to boycott the tour if there is further delay in signing of pay contracts.

“Negotiations are ongoing — no agreement has been reached,” a spokesman for CA told the ABC. The crux of the matter is, the players are hell bent on CA’s proposal of scrapping the revenue sharing model which has been in place for a period of 20 years now. The Ashes, which is set to begin in November, is also under a cloud as players stand in unison against the CA.

The standout has resulted in Australia A’s tour of South Africa being called off as players decided not to travel for the development tour. The CA recently suggested arbitrating the process to end the impasse with the players, however, a decision on that hasn’t been taken yet.

Cricketers unemployed for a month

Close to 230 male and female cricketers are without a contract for exactly a month. The only positive thing is that the CA hasn’t locked the players out as they are free to train at the facilities around the country.

David Warner has been vocal about his thoughts on the ongoing matter, suggesting that international players have an option of playing in the various T20 leagues around the world. It was more of a retort to Sutherland’s ‘unemployment threat’ to the cricketers.