CA confident Australians will be padding up for Ashes series Pitch to save cricket
CRICKET Australia believes 25 days is enough time to save the baggy green from being brought into disrepute.
On August 18 Steve Smith’s side are scheduled to board a plane for a two Test series in Bangladesh.
If they don’t fly it will mark Australian cricket’s darkest day.
The national pastime being sacrificed by a warring sport that has too much money.
However, CA chief James Sutherland came out of a critical four- hour meeting with players’ association counterpart Alistair Nicholson yesterday confident that the train hasn’t left the tracks.
The Ashes will be saved, and the Bangladesh Test tour remains on the right path.
It’s understood Sutherland yesterday sought a please explain from Nicholson as to why the Australian Cricketers Association felt it necessary to send an email to players indicating the drawn out negotiation progress had all but gone back to square one.
CA’s opinion being that nothing had broken down to warrant such an alarmist reac- tion, the ACA defending their actions by arguing they have a duty to 230 unemployed players wanting answers.
What is clear is that the respective proposals both sides have put forward for an immediate resolution have not satisfied the opposition.
Cricket Australia believes the ACA’s terms sheet has altered numbers which if ratified would see players earn more money than under the original model and less cash would find its way to grassroots.
On the other hand, the ACA are fuming that CA’s draft letter excludes all men- tion of “revenue share” – among other sticking points – which they argue is symbolic of the governing body’s need to “win everything”.
Cricket Australia said Sutherland and Nicholson’s oneon- one meeting has satisfied them that negotiations have not broken down to the extent the ACA has claimed.
“Cricket Australia will not comment on details of the negotiation but productive discussions were held today and progress is being made on a range of issues,” said a CA spokesperson.
CA has dismissed the ACA’s weekend about the stunt.
The ACA yesterday called their proposal a “Peace Plan” to break the impasse and claimed they are the only side showing flexibility.
“Reaching in principle agreement is what the players have attempted to do this week as a way of breaking the deadlock and not jeopardising any more cricket,” said Nicholson.
“The players in the latest ACA offer have moved a long way.
“We are seeking the same kind of movement from CA.” email state to players of play as a