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The Australian Cricketers’ Association has announced Australia A players will not take part in their tour of South Africa, originally scheduled for next week, as the pay dispute between the players and Cricket Australia continues.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, the ACA said there had been “no progress towards resolving the current dispute”, leading the players to abandon the tour before it had started.
The squad, which includes regular members of the full international side including Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head, reportedly reached the decision on Thursday morning. Such a decision had not been expected until Friday, however CA requested a determination to be moved forward.
The issue at the heart of the pay dispute has been the revenue sharing agreement; something CA wants to abandon but the ACA are set on retaining.
CA have not yet agreed to the calls for mediation from the ACA, a move the players have criticised.
“CA refuse to attend mediation or offer any genuine flexibility in the MOU negotiations,” the statement from the ACA read.
“Without mediation it’s hard to see how there can be the progress necessary to reach agreement… The ACA again calls on common sense to prevail and for the CA CEO to attend mediation.”
However, cricket.com.au has reported there were discussions between CA CEO James Sutherland and his ACA counterpart, Alistair Nicholson.
With the ‘A’ tour now cancelled, there are serious doubts about Australia’s upcoming series later in the year. A tour of Bangladesh is pencilled in for August – itself a rescheduled series after the original 2014 series was cancelled due to security fears – with an ODI series in India and the Ashes back in Australia scheduled to start in September and November respectively.
While the tour of Bangladesh is hardly a show-stopping event, losing the following series against India and England would be a major blow to the reputations of both CA and Australia’s cricketers, both of which have already taken a beating during the dispute.
UPDATE: Cricket Australia have responded to the decision of the players to boycott the tour, labelling it “disappointing.”
“Cricket Australia regrets that players have made this decision despite progress made in talks between CA and the ACA in meetings over the past week,” a statement read.
“These talks included regular communication between CEOs.
“While a new MOU has not yet been agreed, CA is of the view that these talks should have enabled the tour to proceed as planned.”
CA revealed every dollar they can recoup from the $250,000 it would have cost them to stage the tour will go to the National Communities Facilities Fund, a scheme for funding grassroots cricket projects.
Usman Khawaja had been named as Australia A’s captian prior to the tour boycott. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Full statement from the Australian Cricketers’ Association on ‘A’ tour of South Africa
It is with great frustration that with no progress towards resolving the current dispute, Australia A players confirm they will not tour South Africa.This decision is made in support of more than 200 male and female players who are now unemployed, and is consistent with Sunday’s ACA Executive meeting resolutions.
By making this call, the Australia A players have sacrificed their own ambitions for the collective; an incredibly selfless act that shows their strength and overall commitment to the group.
All players are deeply disappointed at the behaviour of CA which forces this course of action, given the players would rather be playing for their country.
CA refuse to attend mediation or offer any genuine flexibility in the MOU negotiations.
And without mediation it’s hard to see how there can be the progress necessary to reach agreement.
The players want to make sure all men and women who play the game are treated fairly, and that grassroots funding is not drained by a top-heavy bureaucracy.
The ACA again calls on common sense to prevail and for the CA CEO to attend mediation.
The ACA sits at the table awaiting CA’s genuine participation.
Sunday’s resolutions are:
4. The players have resolved that, unless contractually obliged, no male or female players intend to play for a Cricket Australia (CA) team whilst fellow players remain unemployed due to the absence of an MOU.
5. All Australian professional cricketers are not obliged to and are unavailable to Tour South Africa as a part of the Australia A team without an agreed MOU.
This decision has been made consistent with resolution 4 above that, unless contractually obliged, no player intends to Tour for a Cricket Australia team whilst others are unemployed courtesy of the expired MOU.
(AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Full statement from Cricket Australia on ‘A’ tour of South Africa
Cricket Australia (CA) is disappointed that players have today confirmed that they are unwilling to take part in the Australia A tour of South Africa. CA has never and would never attempt to compel any player to represent Australia at any level if they were unwilling to do so.Australia A gives players an opportunity to perform and gain experience at a high level against quality international opposition. CA has today advised Cricket South Africa of the players’ decision.
The Australia A tour was projected to cost CA in the vicinity of $250,000 to stage. All funds that can be recouped as a result of not touring will be allocated by CA to the National Communities Facilities Fund.
Australia A squad members with multi-year state and BBL contracts will continue to have these honoured.
Cricket Australia regrets that players have made this decision despite progress made in talks between CA and the ACA in meetings over the past week.
These talks included regular communication between CEOs.
While a new MOU has not yet been agreed, CA is of the view that these talks should have enabled the tour to proceed as planned.
CA will continue to work towards a new MOU which is in the interests of both the players and the game and calls upon the ACA to show the flexibility clearly now needed to achieve that outcome.