Renshaw emphasises ACA’s stand for women and Shield players

AUSTRALIAN Test batman Matt Renshaw says looking out for women’s and first class domestic players is the major concern behind the Australian Cricketers’ Association pay dispute with Cricket Australia.

Renshaw was in Townsville yesterday to support the announcement that Tony Ireland Stadium would host the final Ashes warm- up match from November 15- 18 between a full- strength English side and Cricket Australia XI.

The English- born Renshaw is confident he will play the series opener at the Gabba just one week later, and is hopeful the pay battle between the ACA and Cricket Australia will be resolved well before then.

“The ACA are doing a really good job in sorting things out for us. I mean, we just want to help the state guys and the female cricketers and that’s really important to us as players,” Renshaw said.

“We all want to try and play the Ashes, so hopefully that can get sorted before then, and I’m sure it will.”

The Cricketers’ Brand will launch on July 1, the day after the memorandum of understanding between the two parties ends, and will mean all media, advertising and promotional deals will be controlled by the ACA, not CA.

Part of the deal is an attempt to change the distribution of digital media revenues, of which the male players currently receive zero per cent despite CA reportedly taking in around $ 40 million over five years.

Australian skipper Steve Smith and his teammates want to prevent a boycott of the Ashes series, welcoming reports CA will now consider independent mediation to help end the pay dispute.

Renshaw is confident he will be at the Gabba come No- vember 23 and will keep a keen eye on the Ashes warm- up.

“We’re always monitoring what the other sides are doing and they have a couple of really hard series over in England before they come over here,” Renshaw said. “I just need to prove myself in the few Shield games before the first Test and just try and cement my first spot in the side.”