On Sunday, Australian cricketers will hold emergency meetings in Sydney to discuss the pay spat between them and Cricket Australia. “This may place significant financial and emotional strain on them [players] and their families,” CA noted in a statement. “It is unfortunate that the ACA’s hardline and inflexible position has not been conducive to delivering any positive outcomes or certainty for players.” As of now, around 230 Australian cricketers have been rendered unemployed.
Australian Cricketers Association president Greg Dyer likened the situation to a case of ‘divide and rule’ and described it as the ‘worst state of uncertainty since the days of World Series Cricket’. The Women’s World Cup squad had been paid in advance but the Australia A squad, who will be touring South Africa, have threatened to boycott the series. To make matters worse, CA president James Sutherland decided to not be involved in the tensions. In a video released by the ACA, Josh Hazlewood said “It’s [pay talks] never got to this point before in the past. It’s going to leave a bit of a bitter taste,” he alleged that CA were trying to sign im and the other players on individual contracts.
If the situation reaches no resolution, this year’s Ashes will be under threat and the players will risk facing 6-month suspensions for participation in unsanctioned exhibition games.
