Australian Twenty20 Captain Says Strike Is A Last Resort

Cricket Australia and the player's union "will attempt to thrash out a resolution" Thursday as the team departs for a tour of the British Isles, according to Chloe Saltau of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Australian Twenty20 captain George Bailey "expressed his sympathy for domestic players whose lives are on hold because of the ongoing pay dispute" and said that a cricket strike "would be a disaster and a last resort."  If the June 30 deadline passes without a deal, the union will "consider other options," including industrial action that could affect the World Twenty20, CA's Big Bash League, and the Champions League. Bailey added, "The players still have full faith that the ACA and CA will be able to sort out the differences they have at the moment and come to a conclusion." However, his main concern is for domestic cricketers "who don't know whether they will have jobs in their states next summer," and can not communicate with other teams "while the dispute is unresolved" because of a freeze imposed by the CA (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/14).