Australia's cricketers will boycott next month's tour of South Africa "unless substantial progress is made over the next 48 hours" toward "resolving the game's bitter pay dispute," according to Chip Le Grand of THE AUSTRALIAN. The Australian Cricketers' Association exec will meet on Sunday, the day after the playing contracts of more than 200 national and state cricketers are due to expire, to "decide the fate of the Australia A tour to South Africa and prepare for the next phase of an industrial power struggle threatening to engulf the Ashes summer." It is understood that, "barring a dramatic shift in attitude among the players, the tour will be the first in the history of Australian cricket to be abandoned due to an industrial dispute." The prospect of a player boycott "will anger the Nine Network, which is going to market next week to secure advertisers for its Ashes series broadcast." At a Sydney sales event on Tuesday, the network will launch its Ashes coverage to clients and media buyers in an "increasingly uncertain climate." A Nine spokesperson said that the network was "proceeding as normal" with its Ashes planning (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/29). In Melbourne, Russell Gould reported cracks "could be starting to appear in the unified player stance against Cricket Australia with some advocating a boycott" of next week's Australia A camp, and the tour of South Africa, "if a new pay deal is not done." Offers of "unpaid" contracts for those with national deals that expire on Friday will be "knocked back" with a refusal to go on the "A" tour. But "other players who are locked in to long-term state deals are indicating their desire to show up for the squad's camp" in Brisbane next Monday to avoid being in breach of their contracts and to continue to push their int'l claims (HERALD SUN, 6/28).
FINAL WARNING: In Sydney, Peter Lalor reported CA sent a formal letter to players on Wednesday, "officially informing them they will be unemployed by Saturday" if a deal is not reached by Friday in the contract dispute. The letter from High Performance Manager Pat Howard told players they "must seek permission if they want to play in other Twenty20 leagues," with decisions to be made on a "case by case" basis. The warning came after suggestions from former Test player Shane Watson that "some players would seek employment in foreign T20 leagues if they were uncontracted." CA also "warned players -- who will all withdraw their intellectual property from the administrators if a deal is not done -- that if they sign with competing sponsors they will not be offered new contracts." Players on multi-year contracts were told they "will be expected to train, play and fulfil sponsor agreements." The letter is a clear sign that CA "intends to dig in if players do not agree to its proposal to modify the revenue share arrangement from previous agreements" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/29).
INDIAN SUITORS: In Sydney, Chris Barrett reported the ACA, which set up a division called The Cricketers' Brand "to source revenue for players beyond July 1 in the event of no new deal," revealed on Wednesday that it "had inquiries from India about sponsoring a collective of Australia's most high-profile players should the pay dispute not be resolved by Friday." ACA Commercial Manager Tim Cruickshank, who is heading The Cricketers' Brand, said, "The negotiations have obviously created interest overseas and there has been genuine interest from the Indian market in regards to players' IP and taking that offshore." How "aggressively to push ahead with such potential commercial tie-ups" will be "one of the main agenda items" at the post-deadline player summit scheduled for Sunday (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 6/28).
STATE OF FLUX: The AAP reported the "effects of Australian cricket's protracted pay saga could soon spread overseas, with Big Bash League clubs currently hamstrung in their pursuit of international talent." The eight BBL franchises are "in a state of flux." They are unable to sign the world's best Twenty20 freelancers because deals will be shaped by the next MOU. CA lifted its embargo on domestic BBL player signings last week, "so it could issue proposed contracts." That window will close on July 14, although the ACA "instructed players not to sign offers." It is understood int'l signings "remain blacklisted" (AAP, 6/29).
