Australian cricket risks cannibalising itself if the ugly pay spat continues to fester, with Monday bringing no positive progress in the saga.
Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) remain deadlocked over the issue of revenue sharing.
CA boss James Sutherland continues to ignore the union’s pleas for him to enter emergency mediation.
Frustration has been building among past players, current stars, state scrappers, coaches, selectors, support staff, officials, broadcasters, sponsors and indeed fans for some time.
Disbelief over the lack of progress in negotiations is now bubbling to the surface more than ever.
The bitter divide was laid bare on Monday, when former Test openers Michael Slater and Ed Cowan shared a heated argument on breakfast radio.
“What is this partnership rubbish?” Slater quipped on Sky Sports Radio, kickstarting a terse back-and-forth.
“You’re telling me this whole fight is not over money?”
Cowan disagreed and fired back as tempers flared.
“Let me finish, let me finish. Otherwise it’s not a fair conversation. I think your view is seriously impeded by your job at Channel Nine,” Cowan said.
It is becoming an increasingly emotive issue for all involved, and is already starting to cost multiple stakeholders.
Some 230 players are unemployed. Most of them won’t feel the pinch immediately but domestic players on the other end of the pay scale to Steve Smith certainly will.
An Australia A squad assembled in Brisbane on Monday and will train on Tuesday but the prospect of them flying out on Friday remains almost non-existent.
The boycott will deny Usman Khawaja, who hasn’t played a match since January, and Glenn Maxwell crucial time at the crease ahead of this summer’s Ashes.
It will infuriate selectors and coach Darren Lehmann, who has kept an eye on the stoush while on holidays in the United Kingdom.
Lehmann would rightly cringe at the prospect of anything that could help England in their bid to retain the urn.
“For me I just want them (CA and the ACA) to start talking … as long as they get to the table that is the biggest thing,” former ACA president Lehmann said almost a month ago.
CA will also pay – figuratively and literally – if the Australia A trip is abandoned.
It’s understood the total cost of the trip is more than $250,000. It is unclear how much of that money CA will be able to recoup.
Contracts for coaching staff Jason Gillespie, Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin will be honoured despite the prospect of them twiddling their thumbs for the better part of six weeks.
Should Australia A be a no-show for the tri-series, CA risk damaging their relationship with Cricket South Africa and the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Peever elected to retire from Rio after over 25 years with the company, he wasn't "shown the door".
davros
Guest
well when your on the board and run the joint ...you can pay yourself whatever you want ..with impunity ! this is the way of the world now ...the corporates screw the workforce and vote themsleves obscene pay rises and there is nought to be done about it . The dogs may bark ...but the caravan roles on !
jameswm
Roar Guru
Why do CA want more of the money? For what? Didn't realise this is on the eve of a new TV deal. Hard not to be cynical.
jamesb
Guest
That's a good question. CA haven't quite been transparent.
davros
Guest
another major question ...is y wont C A release all relevant financial information and bargain in good faith ? Seems to me this Peever thrives on conflict and loves a stoush ! Y did Rio Tinto show him the door ?
jamesb
Guest
There are so many questions that CA need to answer. Here is a few at the top of my head: 1. Why has CA CEO James Sutherland been absent from pay negotiations? 2. Why does CA want to change from revenue share model to a fixed wage for state and female cricketers? 3. Why does CA want to change the pay structure on the eve of negotiating a new tv deal? 4. Why did CA bring in former Rio Tinto managing director David Peever as chairman? With regards to the Slater-Cowan radio interview, all Cowan hypothetically had to say was ''state and female cricketers need to be looked after otherwise they could all leave cricket altogether and go to other sports or have a change in career. If that were to occur, it could be disastrous for both Australian teams.'' CA wants the player salary to fund grassroots. I have an idea. Why don't both the player and cricket admin salaries partly fund grassroots. When you look at cricket administration, I'm sure there are plenty of ''hangers on" that are employed for no apparent reason. An example of a "hangers on" is Pat Howard. And finally, CA CEO James Sutherland is reportedly earning $2 million a year. His leadership on this issue has been appalling. He is currently CEO of a sporting governing body that has unemployed players. I mean WTF!
davros
Guest
yeah but who will the LNP back ?
davros
Guest
totally agree with all the above posts ...Slater is a scab is a garbage commentator and was a mediocre opener ! How much does he get payed now ?
AGordon
Guest
This article highlights just how divisive and horrible this situation has become when these guys are having this sort of public argument. I genuinely think the Federal Gov't needs to step in quickly if real progress isn't made within a week. Having lived through the debacle of Australian cricket in the late 70's and early 80's, I'd hate to do that again
Bert
Guest
CA hasn't taken any interest in the actual sport of cricket for a long time. It's all been about revenue. How else to explain closing down first class cricket for six weeks during the peak of the cricket season, leaving Test hopefuls no chance to play and show their stuff when the Tests are being played? How else to explain rushing through the Test season with such undue haste, playing the first Tests well before summer is underway and ending the Tests in January so they can squeeze in more and more One Day games and 20/20 games? Last summer, after a terrible thrashing in the Test series, CA proudly announced that it had been a highly successful season...because revenue was up. They've lost the plot and should all be sacked.
George
Guest
"I think your view is seriously impeded by your job at Channel Nine." Enough said.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Slater is employed by Channel 9 and a FORMER player. Cowan is a current player. Slats - I'd steer clear of arguing with Eddie, as he's about 50 times brighter than you are. Slats even had the nerve to say "When I went out to bat, I wasn't thinking about partnering". Neither are these blokes you goose! They are negotiating their deal, not walking out to bat at the moment. So you're saying you'd have been happy to play for free Slats? Give it all up? H ow much are you worth now? Slats is - as Ed said - seriously conflicted. He should keep right out of it.