After "months of rage and backbiting," Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland and Australian Cricketers' Association CEO Alistair Nicholson "have agreed on all key terms and are set to announce at a joint press conference as early as Tuesday that at long last, a pay deal has been reached," according to Ben Horne of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Only a "monumental last-minute spanner in the works could derail a final agreement being signed off." Both parties were on Sunday "working feverishly on finalising the very last details and aiming for a declaration to be made" Monday, or at the latest on Tuesday, in Melbourne. It is understood the players will get a revenue share model in the new MOU, but with a "significant makeover" that CA believes will "allow them more financial flexibility to administer to the grassroots of the game." The ACA's other non-negotiable was to insist on back pay, and "it appears CA has also been willing to make this compromise in the interests of shaking hands on this messy affair" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 7/31). In Sydney, Peter Lalor reported the "warring sides were cautiously optimistic" on Sunday "having been in a similar situation three times before, only to have the terms agreed to in negotiation scuppered" by CA's board. There is talk of the boards "opening their doors to each other's representatives in an attempt to overcome the bitterness." Players will also get "more say in scheduling." The sides had until Monday to reach an agreement or go to arbitration. Talks between the parties continued until midnight on Sunday and there was "anticipation then that a deal was at hand" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/31). Also in Sydney, Andrew Wu reported with all the major issues solved, only minor clauses and financial details need to be finalized. Cricket's feuding parties were "locked in talks into the early hours of Monday morning, after which the ACA held an internal briefing" that did not wind up until 2:30am. Despite the progress, "relations remain tense as seen by both sides' insistence they are responsible for the recent breakthroughs." CA said that the call for arbitration "brought the matter to a head" and it believes its "proposal for players to be re-contracted was important." But the ACA believes CA "increased its urgency after being told an arbitrator would not help" its case (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 7/31).
