Tour set to go ahead as new pay deal looms
AUSTRALIA’S Test tour of Bangladesh has been given a final security clearance as players await the finalisation of their new pay deal.
Both parties have come to agreement on all the key issues with the nuts and bolts detail now being set in stone ahead of a joint-announcement, as meetings continued long into last night.
The Cricket Australia board and the Australian Cricketers Association Executive will have to rubber stamp the deal, but it’s anticipated this would be a mere formality with the heavy lifting already done.
With the peace pipe being smoked, the Australian cricket team is set to tour Bangladesh for the first time since 2005, after a pre-tour check gave the green light to security arrangements for the team.
CA’s security head Sean Carroll and team manager Gavin Dovey led a delegation to Bangladesh in the past few days and are comfortable that all arrangements are in place ahead of final confirmation that the tour will go ahead.
Australia were meant to tour Bangladesh two years ago only for Government advice about security scuppering the series.
However, England toured Bangladesh without a hitch in 2016 and Australia is expected to receive the same mass security presence.
“We were very disappointed not to come in 2015 but obviously the safety and security of the players and the team is paramount, irrespective of whether we tour to Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world,” Dovey told local press in Bangladesh.
Selectors appear to be waiting on the MOU announcement before declaring who the 14th and final player will be who is added to the squad.
Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird are leading that race.