Cricket Australia’s cultural review was doomed long before it was released
EVEN before Australia released its cultural review, they knew things were crumbling. Calls for David Peever and Greg Dyer to step aside are justified. After everything that has happened, a fresh start is needed, writes Robert Craddock.
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EVEN before Australia released its cultural review, they knew a key pillar of everything they stood for was already crumbling.
Cricket Australia had asked representatives from the players’ union, the Australian Cricketers Association, to join them in a show of collective intent at the press conference but the invite was declined with union officials having their say the next day.
One player official cited a clash of commitments but it was a bad start to a rugged day even though Tim Paine and Josh Hazlewood fronted up on behalf of the team.
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You can huff and puff all you like about cultural changes, but if the players’ union and the board are struggling to get on the same page on day one of the project, when everything was supposed to be sunshine and roses, how on earth could it possibly succeed?
The calls for CA boss David Peever and ACA president Greg Dyer to move aside to create some cool, clear air for a new relationship are growing louder by the day and are justified because, after last years’ pay war, a fresh start is essential.
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Sports history is full of vicious pay wars between unions and employees, and a common theme is, once the battle has been fought, the men who fired the mortars often step aside to allow those with unscarred histories to take over.
The lucky man in all this is former CA chief executive James Sutherland, whose 18-year reign ended last Thursday before he exited stage left.
It was the sort of timing Hugh Bowman is famous for when he unleashes a swooping Winx on the home turn.
Honourable job that he did overall, if they ever remake the movie The Great Escape, Sutherland could well audition for the role of Steve McQueen.
Sutherland’s name wasn’t even brought up at Monday’s press conference yet he had basically ran the CA office from the turn of the century until last week, and was much closer to the action than Peever.
Peever is being judged harshly but Cricket Australia misread common logic by reappointing him to a three-year term at last week’s AGM before the review was made public to state chief executives.
He probably would have got the numbers anyway but it was a bad look. Before Australia looked forward, they had to look back. Bad error.
Meanwhile, the content of the review and the cheesy players’ pact are being ridiculed by rival nations who are poking fun at Australia’s intention to go from March sinners to November saints.
Radio stations are being jammed with angry talkback callers demanding everything from Peever’s sacking to improved recognition of the Sheffield Shield, to the overturning of player bans and better junior coaching.
It’s all a bit of a mess, with the only consolation being the fans still care deeply about the game.
Or have they had enough?
Originally published as Cricket Australia’s cultural review was doomed long before it was released