Mark Taylor admits Cricket Australia needs to make concessions for sake of the game

FORMER Australian cricket captain Mark Taylor says cricket’s top priority should be repairing the fractured relationship between players and administrators.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA — NOVEMBER 24: Channel Nine commentators Mark Nicholas, Shane Warne and Mark Taylor during day four of the First Ashes Test match between Australia and England at The Gabba on November 24, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

CRICKET Australia board member Mark Taylor has called for compromise on both sides of the pay war and says it should be cricket’s top priority to start repairing fractured relationships between players and administrators.

Taylor has been an advocate of CA’s hard-line approach at various stages throughout this saga, however, speaking at a Channel 9 launch in Melbourne, he admitted that the governing body must concede ground — as do the players — for the sake of stopping the bloodshed.

It’s the first sign yet that CA might consider scaling back their bid to significantly change the revenue share model.

The former Australian captain and one of the game’s most respected statesmen said it would be an unacceptable situation for the Test side to not tour Bangladesh next month and for that reason Taylor remains confident that no more cricket will be lost.

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“I think there’s got to be compromise on both sides, I really believe that,” said Taylor alongside fellow commentators at the Nine launch.

“I think at any negotiation you give and take. When you get to that situation, which I hope we are getting very close to now, then you get close to a resolution.

Mark Taylor’s (right) comments give some hope that a resolution is possible. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m confident there will be a resolution soon. I don’t know when but I just hope both sides keep working hard at it.

“I’m still very confident there will be an Ashes series and I’m very confident there will be some Test match cricket played by Australia before then. That’s certainly what I’m working towards and I’m assuming both parties are working towards that.”

Talks are bubbling away behind the scenes ahead of another important deadline on Friday — the day when out of contract players were next due to be paid.

At this stage CA is refusing to back pay cricketers, one of the many reasons why trust and respect between players and administrators is at one of history’s all-time lows.

Many have theorised that CA is trying to break up the Australian Cricketers Association once and for all, but Taylor said it was imperative that the game starts working hard to heal the wounds that have opened up.

When a deal is done Pat Howard and James Sutherland will have to be able to work with Steve Smith and David Warner.

Taylor says it’s possible for those relationships to be regenerated.

“The quicker we can move on and rebuild the relationship I think is important between CA and the ACA. The quicker we can start rebuilding that I think that will be good for the game,” he said.

“I certainly hope (it’s not hard). You’ll have to ask the players that question but I think we all have to be adult about it.

“It’s a big game these days. Players are fully professional. Cricket boards are trying to do what they think is right for the game in general so there’s going to be times when you disagree and that’s where we are at the moment.

“But I think both sides have to work towards finding a resolution which is in the best interests of the game and the players.”