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Before James Sutherland and Alistair Nicholson duel at dawn, former Australian captain Ian Chappell looms as the perfect peacemaker.
It’s absurd Sutherland as Cricket Australia’s CEO, and Nicholson the equivalent at the Australian Players Association, have let the elite Australian cricketers unemployed as of yesterday.
Both keep blaming each other for this farce that could see a repeat of the Word Series Cricket split in 1977.
The main players in those history-making but tough times were Sir Donald Bradman, Kerry Packer, Richie Benaud, Chappell, and Tony Greig.
Sadly, only Chappell is still with us, and with the inside experience of those defining days, ‘Chappelli’ would make the perfect moderiator.
More importantly, he has always been a no nonsense captain and commentator-writer, that would be demanded for a successful outcome.
There are two other no nonsense former captains who would do an excellent job cleaning up the mess – Bobby Simpson and Allan Border.
But I’ve chosen Chappell for his intense World Series Cricket experience.
And both Sutherland and Nicholson would have to agree this farce has gone far too far, so there’s nothing to lose to sit around the table with Chappell.
Oh to be a fly on the wall as Chappell would give them both his ground rules, and they would be foolish not to get the message from the get go.
Obviously there will have to be some give and take from both parties, but you can bet your house the trio will leave the room with an iron clad solution.
Packer’s WSC came about through selfish reasons to televise Australia’s international cricket instead of the ABC, and to correct the wrong that players weren’t being paid what they were worth.
The out-dated days of amateurism ended with Packer’s intervention.
Four decades later, an outcome via Ian Michael Chappell will achieve much the same outcome, to benefit both Cricket Australia and the 230 cricketers who right now haven’t got a job.
And it’s the exclusive fault of Sutherland and Nicholson.
So fix it Chappelli, in your own inimitable way.