AB fears for grassroots
Pay dispute resolved, Ashes safe
Former Australian captain Allan Border has worries for the game at grassroots level after the bitter pay dispute between Cricket Australia and Australian Cricketers’ Association has been resolved.
Cricket Australia (CA) and Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) came to an in-principle agreement on Thursday after almost a year of talks.
The deal guarantees state and international players will pocket up to 30% of an estimated $1.67 billion of revenue over the next five years, while female player payments will increase their stake from $7.5 million to $55.2 million.
It also includes up to $30 million for grassroots, but Border wondered if that was a win for the game.
“The players have had a huge win,” Border (pictured) told Fox Sports.
“This has been a TKO in the 15th round for the players. They should be very happy with the situation, particularly the girls.
“I can’t quite work out grassroots cricket, what’s going to change?
“They still go out there and do their chook raffles and fundraising events and nothing much has changed as far as I can tell.”
Former Test fast bowler Ryan Harris, now a performance coach with CA, stressed the importance of the grassroots not losing out under the deal.
“Number one thing is probably getting the facilities up to scratch,” Harris told SEN radio.
“Being around grade grounds in Brisbane, even grade grounds aren’t up to scratch.”
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has expressed relief after the agreement, which will allow this month’s Test tour of the country to proceed as planned.
Players took the unprecedented step last month of boycotting an Australia A tour of South Africa and were prepared to take the same action for the Bangladesh series.
Australia captain Steve Smith, who will lead the Test squad to Bangladesh, added a conciliatory note.
“We can now move on and do what we love doing.”
Smith said he hoped the public would not judge the players harshly for the time it took to get a deal.
“I hope not, it’s a negotiation that’s very important to everyone in the game, it dragged on a bit longer than we would have liked … it’s great that it’s all done and we can move on,” he said.