Pay truce ‘next week’

EXPECTATIONS are rising that cricket’s great pay war may be resolved next week, after players dropped their longstanding demand for Cricket Australia to agree to third-party mediation.

There were fears that the ground made in ending the impasse might have gone up in flames yesterday thanks to a bizarrely timed attack on the players’ union by CA Chairman David Peever, which came barely 24 hours after fellow board member Mark Taylor had called for compromise and a repairing of relationships.

The staggering timing of Peever’s broadside and the accusations levelled by him didn’t go down well at the Australian Cricketers Association, but ahead of another huge day of meetings in Melbourne today, the smackdown doesn’t appear to have railroaded a push from both parties to finally find a prompt resolution.

CA has no choice but to act quickly, with sponsors livid at being left so badly exposed. Phone hook-ups between head office and edgy corporate partners have been happening all week with fears more players could publicise private car deals they sign with rivals of Toyota and ACA general manager Tim Cruickshank still to fly to India to explore options to sell players’ image rights.

Chairman Peever, who has stayed silent in the background during the MoU negotiations, chose this pivotal week to pen an opinion piece express- ing his fury that his legitimate motivations for trying to change the pay model have been brought into question.

In defending himself and CA from “personal” attacks, Peever still continued the theme of airing dirty laundry that has marred this whole saga by accusing the players’ association of sabotaging the game and of running a reckless campaign.

It’s understood the ACA demanded an explanation for the comments in meetings yesterday.