CA stonewalls on mediation request
CRICKET Australia has failed to respond to a request for independent mediation in its pay dispute with the players and a scheduled meeting for today is likely to continue the nasty stalemate.
Last Friday afternoon Australian Cricketers Association president Greg Dyer emailed CA chairman David Peever asking for mediation after months of stalled negotiations that have cast doubt over what an Australian team could look like for the Ashes.
With contracts set to expire on June 30, the absence of a new pay deal would mean players including Aussie skipper Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner are locked out of national selection.
Warner, playing in the Indian Premier League, yesterday declared the players “won’t buckle at all” from their desire to continue earning a share of cricket revenue, and his teammates fell into line.
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, in Brisbane preparing for next month’s Champions Trophy one-day tournament in the UK, said players would follow what the “big dogs”, such as Warner, do.
“Hopefully it gets resolved, we don’t want to be unemployed for a period of time,” Wade told SEN. “But if it gets there we’ll have to do what it takes. We’ll fall into line with what the big dogs do.”
The ACA and CA were scheduled to talk today, but the resolve of each party not to bend has only strengthened following a meeting last Thursday at which no progress was made.
After that failed meeting CA boss James Sutherland, frustrated by months of inaction and with the June 30 deadline looming, sent an email to all players threatening them with unemployment if they didn’t sign up to the governing body’s pay proposal.
It was a move that angered players and was regarded as an escalation in CA’s aggression. But the missive was sent before Sutherland knew of the offer of mediation from the player’s union.
That was sent to Peever last Friday afternoon and as of last night, the CA chairman had yet to respond. ■ THIS picture of Taipans big man Nate Jawai was doing the rounds over the weekend.
Pretty solid handball technique there by Nate.
In a sliding door moments, Jawai might have become one of the better ruckman or centre half-forwards our game has produced.
In saying that, he has made a decent fist of that basketball stuff. Could he follow close mate Kerry Williams to Manunda following his basketball career?
Marc Harbrow and Richard Martin will be praying he follows Williams, who has been one of the Hawks’ best this season. ■ PORT Douglas welcomed back one of their fan favourites on Saturday afternoon, Kallam Oates.
The versatile big man was selected in the Cairns Post Team of the Year last season but languished in the seconds for the first part of the season.
Oates adds a different dimension to the Crocs lineup, will rarely be pushed off the ball and can provide a solid inside 50 also.
Coupled with Josh Wilson, it will be an outstanding ruck division come the finals. ■ I WAS lucky enough to be on hand at the “Pink in the Tropics” game and morning brunch on Saturday.
Pink in the Tropics coordinator Annie Richardson and her team of helpers deserve congratulations for their tireless efforts, not only this week, but all year.
The event was well supported and Richardson is planning to go bigger and better next year. The game against Cairns Saints in the afternoon had the best atmosphere of any AFL Cairns game all season.
Let’s hope it is a sign of things to come.