A- list stars no tour certainty
CRICKET Australia has no plan B for an Australia A tour which looms as the first flashpoint in its pay war with players.
Usman Khawaja and Glenn Maxwell headlined a group of 19 players who were yesterday named for the July trip to South Africa to play both four- day and two- day games.
But both Khawaja, named captain of the four- day squad as he looks to win back his Test spot, and Maxwell are nationally contracted and would be locked out of availability for the games if a new pay deal is not done by June 30.
At least six of the 19 players named for the matches in July and August, including South Australian bowlers Chadd Sayers and Kane Richardson, are out of contract at June 30.
Last week CA boss James Sutherland threatened those off- contract players would be unemployed after the expiry of their contracts unless they signed up to the governing body’s pay proposal.
Sutherland also dismissed any chance of interim deals for tours after June 30, including the Australia A tour.
The only change in that stance could come via significant movement in the pay talks with the Australian Cricketers Association which have been stalled for nearly six months.
The departure date for the tour is July 8, which gives CA and the ACA eight weeks to come to some sort of an understanding.
If nothing is done, those players who have state contracts and according to Sutherland are “required to play” could be faced with a decision about whether to tour, or stand down and risk having their contracts torn up.
Ashton Agar, who was recently included on a list of proposed national contracts, is among those players who are contracted beyond June 30.
Despite the standoff, CA high- performance manager Pat Howard was optimistic a memorandum of understanding would be done in time and no tours, or the Ashes this summer, would be affected. “We are confident that there will be a resolution in place by 30 June and look forward to continuing to support these players to perform at their very best on the global stage,” Howard said.
All- rounder Moises Henriques was withdrawn from the Australia A squad after being initially selected following a request from county side Surrey to let him stay with them. A replacement will be named in due course.