A record player payment pool of A$500M ($397.7M) "will form the cornerstone" of Australian cricket's five-year pay deal "which was finally agreed to on Thursday morning," according to Russell Gould of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. An "in-principal heads of agreement has been signed with a view to players having an official vote on the proposal" which the Australian Cricketers' Association "has recommended they give the green light." The Ashes "have been saved" and captain Steve Smith "is now free to lead his men to Bangladesh later this month." The modernized revenue share model "will give big increases in payments" to int'l and domestic players, "with roughly 120 female players included in the deal for the first time." Back pay will be given to the "roughly 230 players who have been out of contract since the previous Memorandum of Understanding expired on June 30." Key elements of the deal also include players sharing in 30% of forecast revenue and A$25M ($20M) flowing to grassroots cricket from the players "if forecast revenue is achieved" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/3).
HISTORIC AGREEMENT: In Melbourne, Chris Barrett reported the negotiating teams from Cricket Australia and the ACA "worked long into the night throughout this week to settle their remaining differences." The heads of agreement "will go to a player vote in the next 24 hours and the ACA will recommend that its members accept the deal," ensuring this month's two-Test series in Bangladesh "will go ahead." At "the heart of it is the retention of the revenue-share concept." The ACA greeted the agreement "as a victory for the players." ACA CEO Alistair Nicholson said, "The men and women have been rewarded for sticking together and for having the courage of their convictions. They have made history and created a legacy for generations of players to come" (THE AGE, 8/3).
PARTING SHOT: In Melbourne, Daniel Cherny reported with cricket's pay war "finally over," ACA President Greg Dyer took a "thinly veiled swipe" at CA for its role in the dispute, but CA CEO James Sutherland "is hopeful the saga can quickly be put in the rear-view mirror." Sutherland: "There's no denying that the debate itself has at times been difficult, and even acrimonious. Relationships within the game have been tested, and I know that's been a bit of a turn-off for some fans. I think I can speak for Alistair when I say that both parties very much acknowledge and regret that, and now it's very much up to us to put that behind us." Dyer said that this MOU process "should be a cautionary tale," implying the players had been "largely blameless." He said in a statement, "The players did not choose this route and did not enjoy being on it. In fact, the players resented it deeply. This was not a fight the players started. The players defended themselves as is fair and as is their right" (THE AGE, 8/3).
PLAYERS PREVAIL: In Sydney, Peter Lalor reported "by every measure it appears the players have come out on top of the long, bruising cricket dispute." They "have retained their revenue share." Even, "on the face of it, increased it." They have convinced CA that the A$58M ($46.1M) they are owed from the last deal "needs to be paid in full." The players "won backpay despite firm warnings in June that they would not get it." They have "retained similar funding arrangements" for the ACA despite signals from CA that this "did not sit comfortably with them." Details "appear to tick every box on the players' wish list." Sutherland argued on Thursday that "neither side had got all it wanted and admitted wearily" that "history will judge" whether it had all been worth it. Smith "expressed the collective relief of the players" on Twitter (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/4).
'SENSIBLE COMPROMISE': In London, Elizabeth Ammon reported the women players "will now be paid substantially more than their British counterparts," with a pay raise of about 125%, meaning they will be paid over £100,000 ($131,400) per year. The centrally-contracted int'l male players "look set to receive pay rises which will take them to an average wage" (including match fees) of about £860,000 ($1.13M) a year, which is "broadly in line with what English male centrally-contracted players earn." Sutherland: "Today’s agreement is the result of a sensible compromise from both parties" (
LONDON TIMES, 8/3).
