Enraged players reject CA’s offer

AUSTRALIAN cricket’s paytalk chasm was laid bare on a feisty Friday yesterday, when a revamped offer was vehemently rejected by players.

In a change of tack yesterday, seven days before their memorandum of understanding with players was to expire, Cricket Australia offered a greater share of international surpluses, included domestic players in its sharing arrangement, and increased annual pay rises for state players.

All of this was genuine progress when compared with the preceding months of the protracted saga.

However, CA maintained its position that the existing revenue-sharing model was untenable.

That stance, coupled with CA’s decision to offer individual contracts to players, enraged the players’ union.

The Australian Cricketers’ Association told its players to reject the offer, having earlier reiterated calls for emergency mediation at CEO level. “The letter provided to players today from CA does not accurately reflect how far apart the parties remain,” the union told its members.

Concerned Australian vicecaptain David Warner has indicated players may decline to play in the Ashes if the standoff isn’t resolved.

The union boasts 100 per cent membership of domestic and international players.

AAP