CSA and players’ union finally agree to a MoU

CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA and the SA Cricketers’ Association eventually brought a protracted period of controversy to an end yesterday by finally agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding that among other things regulates player contracts, including, for the first time, SA’s female cricketers.

The signing of the lengthy document – which numbers somewhere between 300 and 400 pages – will hopefully end the acrimony that grew between the two organisations after negotiations regarding the MoU began late and ran past the period during which player contracts ended.

Besides the main agreement which encompasses contracts and benefits for players, the MoU includes a recognition agreement between CSA and Saca – the players’ union – which will form the basis for all future negotiations between the two bodies.

The relationship between CSA and Saca will take time to solidify as levels of angst and mistrust grew between the two organisations the longer the negotiations continued.

“The players who didn’t necessarily understand Cricket SA’s stance definitely phoned me to try and get a better understanding of our stance and what it was we were trying to achieve,” said CSA’s chief executive, Thabang Moroe.

Both Moroe and Saca’s chief executive Tony Irish, said the tough negotiations that had occurred in the last few months would hopefully mean that the next time the MoU is negotiated, somewhere around the 2021-22 season, it would be easier.

The inclusion of SA’s female players in the revenue share model is significant, but any thoughts about them earning the same amounts as their male counterparts was unrealistic at this stage. “The objective is to close the gap (salaries between men and women) and it has closed in the last year and a half,” said Irish. “Whether we will reach that point where there is exact equality is a real challenge not just for South Africa but all around the world. That is as a result of where the women’s game is as opposed to the men’s game. At international level, ICC level and most of the full member countries there’s a real push to grow women’s cricket.”

Meanwhile, Moroe also confirmed that the CSA’s Board of Directors had agreed that the re-established T20 Global League will have six teams participating. That is two less than the original figure for the event which was cancelled when CSA failed to sign a broadcast or event sponsor.

CSA have subsequently entered into a deal with satellite broadcaster SuperSport to re-establish the competition which will be held in November and December this year.

The federation has hired Nielsen Sports – a company which provides analytics and data for the sports industry – to complete a report which will help CSA decide where the six teams will be based.