No guarantee on contracts

Banned duo might have to re-earn their CA status

Steve Smith and David Warner could miss out on million-dollar Cricket Australia contracts next month and instead be made to re-earn their status after their bans expire.

The formal reintegration of the suspended pair went up a gear on Friday and Saturday when they met coach Justin Langer and players from the one-day team in the United Arab Emirates.

They had dinner on Friday night, and then meetings on Saturday when Smith and Warner, who are eligible to play for Australia again on March 29, were made aware of the “values and behaviours” instilled in the national team by Langer.

Warner, who has mingled with players, including Smith, at NSW training in recent times, said it was “like we didn’t really leave” after meeting with those players likely to be teammates at the World Cup.

The dynamic batsman, who with Smith has flown to India for the Indian Premier League, conceded it was important the pair accepted their new roles in a new team.

“Making sure we are aligned with the team values,” Warner said. “Being out for 12 months, there has been a big change, which is great. It’s about accepting that and playing what our role in the team should be moving forward.”

Those changes include the emergence of several players who may not only keep Warner and Smith out of Australia’s first choice team for the World Cup, but also demand CA contracts.

There is some debate in cricket ranks about where Smith and Warner should be ranked when contracts are awarded on April 12, or if they should get one at all.

Smith and Warner will no doubt play a huge role for the team in the next 12 months in both the World Cup and Ashes.

But contracts are seen as a reward for efforts in the previous 12 months as well as forecasting how much cricket individuals might play for Australia in the next year.

Before their ban Smith and Warner were on the top tier of CA contract holders.

This year Pat Cummins will become Australia’s highest-paid player with Test skipper Tim Paine close to the top too. Allan Border medal runner-up Nathan Lyon and star fast bowlers Mitch Starc and Josh Hazlewood will likely round out the top five. Test incumbents Marcus Harris and Kurtis Patterson are among others likely to get deals, and former Test captain Ricky Ponting said Smith and Warner still had to prove their value to the Australian team.

While it’s likely they will get CA contracts, some feel they should earn their deals via playing upgrades.

Anyone who plays two Tests or five One-Day Internationals is automatically upgraded to a CA contract. Langer said the pair had endured an “unprecedented” ban in Australian cricket and was excited to have them back.