Cricket Australia could lock players out of training from July 1

AUSTRALIA’S cricketers face the prospect of being physically locked out of all training facilities come July 1.

Australian cricketers could find themselves locked out of training facilities from July 1 if the pay dispute is not resolved.

AUSTRALIA’S cricketers may be told on July 1 to take their bat and ball and go home.

In unprecedented circumstances not seen since World Series Cricket, players are facing the very real prospect of being physically locked out of all training facilities and denied access to coaches and specialists when the Memorandum of Understanding expires in three weeks’ time.

It’s understood Cricket Australia is yet to make a decision on whether or not it would lock the doors on its players should scheduled talks with the Australian Cricketers Association later this week — that they hope to be fruitful — fail to produce an outcome.

The States are desperately hoping they would be able to allow players to continue pre-season training using their facilities and staff in the event of no deal being signed off on, however, if CA was to choose to adopt a hard line stance to mirror their original threat of unemployment, they may be forced to fall in line with the governing body.

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Players may be consigned to local gyms and parks if they wish to keep up with their strength and conditioning work and if the saga drags on into mid-July, they’ll be looking for their own net facilities as well when proper bat and ball work gets underway.

Australian cricketers could find themselves locked out of training facilities from July 1 if the pay dispute is not resolved.

There are also insurance concerns over who is protecting players if they train in official facilities without an MOU.

The looming possibility of the locks being changed on players brings back memories of the World Series era when Max Walker was successively banned by five teams in five local competitions as he tried to get fit ahead of Kerry Packer’s brand new show.

Only one West Australian club welcomed WSC players, and they were fined $5 by the WACA for allowing Dennis Lillee to practice.

During Shane Warne’s year-long drug ban, he had to hire the Junction Oval in Melbourne for training.

If lockouts of training facilities eventuate it would cast grave doubt on how planned Australia A and Australian Test tours could go ahead.

State players across the country are already back on deck for the pre-season and are eager to know whether they will be permitted to still train at their home bases come July 1.

Having cricketers banned from training facilities could have an adverse effect on the Matador Cup and Sheffield Shield, if teams can’t properly co-ordinate their preparations or keep track of the health of their athletes.

The States are hoping they will be permitted by CA to continue business as usual.

It’s understood informal meetings between the two warring parties CA and the ACA last week were unproductive.

Both sides claim the other is refusing to take part in good faith negotiations.