Pay stoush brewing as Cricket Australia dispute escalates

Cricket is teetering on the edge of another ugly dispute after the players association cancelled a Friday meeting with Cricket Australia.

Cricket Australia is hopeful the T20 World Cup scheduled for October will go ahead. Picture: Getty Images

Cricket is teetering on the edge of another ugly dispute after the board of the players’ association cancelled a planned Friday meeting with Cricket Australia’s board to discuss the crisis engulfing the sport.

The Australian Cricketers Association is understood to have cancelled the meeting on Thursday night in protest at the level of financial detail provided ahead of the current round of player contract negotiations.

The withdrawal is reminiscent of the worst days of the 2017 MOU dispute.

There are crisis meetings at all levels of the game and in all countries as they deal with the impact of the pandemic.

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts spoke to other world cricket bosses in a phone hook-up on Thursday night to share tales of financial woes and discuss the chances of any cricket resuming, including October’s T20 World Cup, which Australia is set to host.

The game is understood to be receiving positive indications from government about the event proceeding and has an internal report that is similarly confident India can tour this summer.

At home Roberts and his organisation are struggling to get states and players on board as head office demands cuts across the board.

South Australia has already stood down staff and other states will be forced to follow if they accept the proposals on the table.

The real fear is for community cricket programs that have become an essential part of the grassroots focus in recent years.

States were told one of the biggest concerns was the impact the financial crisis would have on existing broadcast partners who are bleeding during the current crisis and could be in a difficult position come the time for payments to be made in September.

The administration claims some parties have already defaulted or deferred existing debts, but local broadcasters made their six-monthly payment of $100m in mid-March.

Cricket Australia’s board also met on Thursday to discuss the crisis that has seen about 200 staff stood down and serious divisions open between states, players, staff and head office.

The Australian Cricketers Association had a phone hook-up with player agents on Thursday after a phone conference with key players on Wednesday.

Roberts has indicated he will push players to take a pay cut when contracts are offered next week. The chief executive said he would not ask them to take any greater cut than anyone else. He has asked states to take a 25 per cent cut but has struggled to get them to agree.

The ACA is adamant there is no need to cut players’ pay as the revenue share model guarantees their money is reduced when revenue dips, as it is expected too.

The player body is frustrated it cannot get access to enough financial information.