Australian cricket's "long and bitter split finally appears on the brink of being resolved, but former Test captain Michael Clarke said that the wounds from the months-long pay war will not heal quickly," according to Barrett & Pierik of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Intensive negotiations continued over the weekend, with Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland and Head Performance Manager Pat Howard coming together with Australian Cricketers' Association CEO Alistair Nicholson and players' union general counsel Joe Connellan for "more than five hours in Melbourne on Sunday." There are expected to be further meetings on Monday but there is a "growing belief that a long-awaited peace is finally on the horizon" and that a heads of agreement between the parties "could be struck in the coming days." Sutherland has threatened to take his case to arbitration if a new deal is not brokered by early this week, but it is understood CA is prepared to "continue talks until Tuesday before attempting to exercise that option." But "even when there is a resolution, the scars from the rancorous saga may linger for years." Clarke said, "I think it's been horrible for the game, to be honest. There is no doubt what has happened will affect the relationship even more than it already was affected between players and Cricket Australia" (SMH, 7/30).
RENEWED HOPE: In Sydney, Ben Horne reported there was "renewed hope at least out of the players' camp on Sunday" that an HOA with "key articles like revenue share signed off on is less than 48 hours away." On Monday, the ACA and CA are "expected to retreat to their respective corners, put the weekend's talks as they understand them into writing" and prepare for "hopefully drawing up" an HOA. It is understood there is a "focus to now lock down key wordings and numbers." There are "minor issues that remain," but Sutherland has said all along that an in-principle agreement was "agonisingly close if both parties were prepared to play ball and willingly compromise" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 7/30).
ASHES IN DANGER: In London, Nick Hoult reported the ACA warned arbitration to resolve its pay dispute "could drag on for six months putting the Ashes series in danger later this year." In an email to the players, Nicholson wrote, "Arbitration would bring about a significant delay in resolution as it would take many months, (perhaps six to nine) could be very costly (possibly costing hundreds of thousands of dollars which would be better spent in grassroots investment), and involve a multitude of policy and financial questions unique to elite international team sports which the arbitrator would need to consider, and the continued uncertainty through the summer on the revenue share model outcome and future employment of the players" (TELEGRAPH, 7/29).
