Pay war deal saves Ashes
Players are big winners as cricket dispute finally draws to close
A RECORD player payment pool of $500 million will form the cornerstone of cricket’s five-year pay deal, which was finally agreed to yesterday morning.
The Ashes have been saved, captain Steve Smith is now free to lead his men to Bangladesh later this month in Australia’s first Test tour there since 2006, and female players have secured the biggest pay rise in women’s sport.
The modernised revenue share model will give big pay increases to international and domestic players, with roughly 120 female players included in the deal for the first time.
Back pay will be given to the roughly 230 players who have been out of contract since the previous Memorandum of Understanding expired on June 30, which includes national and state players, once the new deal is finalised, which could take up to six weeks.
Key elements of the deal include:
■ Revenue sharing model for all players, male and female. Australia’s elite men’s cricket will be the highest paid of any sport in the country. The player payment pool will equal $500 million.
■ Players to share in 30 per cent of forecast revenue.
■ $25 million will flow to grassroots cricket from the players if forecast revenue is achieved.
■ All uncontracted players to receive back pay when the MOU is finalised.
Talks that began last November but stalled for much of this year accelerated recently amid the threat of a potential boycott of this month’s twoTest tour of Bangladesh.
The increased involvement of Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland in recent times hastened a move towards agreement and a marathon weekend of talks brought the deal even closer.
There were veiled accusations that Australian Cricketers’ Association CEO Alistair Nicholson and his team were taking things too slow this week as they pored over every detail, and information was being exchanged via phone and email, frustrating those at CA headquarters.
But when the parties came face-to-face yesterday morning with all changes made to what was a final draft, they shook hands and confirmed a 10-month impasse that had at times threatened not only the tour of Bangladesh but also this summer’s Ashes was over.
“It will restore much-needed security to the game of cricket,” Sutherland said.
“It’s a sensible compromise from both parties.
“Change is never easy but sometimes it is necessary. This process hasn’t been easy and history will judge whether it was all worth it in the end.”
Sutherland denied it was an outright victory for players and said the looming reality of a Bangladesh tour being lost proved the impetus for a deal.
Asked if the Ashes were ever in danger, he said: “You can’t predict the future but as I’ve said a number of times before, both parties have a lot more in common than we don’t and we all care deeply about the game of cricket.”
Nicholson said the resolve of players was strong and the outcome had resulted from a unified stance.
“While players are now keen to get into camp and play for Australia, the partnership and revenue share model was important to them so resolve was very strong.”
“I think it’s an important thing for the game and I do believe players have said they want to maintain a partnership and revenue share. It’s a good agreement to go forward.”
CHANGE IS NEVER EASY BUT SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY. THIS PROCESS HASN’T BEEN EASY AND HISTORY WILL JUDGE WHETHER IT WAS ALL WORTH IT IN THE END JAMES SUTHERLAND