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Report: Aussies could boycott England tour

2012-06-11 06:04:07

Australian cricketers may go on strike ahead of a one day tour to England next month if negotiations about performance-related salaries are not concluded, according to reports in the media Down Under

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association are locked in negotiations about playing players according to their performances, and if a deal is not reached by 1 July, the players may boycott the England trip or the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.

ACA chief Paul Marsh said in The Australian: “There’s only 29 days of negotiations left to run, so of course we are preparing for the eventuality of not having a deal in place before the end of July.

“We are looking at all of our different options.”

According to the newspaper, “Relationships between players and management are heated and threatening to become as ugly as the stand-off surrounding the first player contract negotiations during Mark Taylor’s captaincy (1994-1999).

“Cricket Australia is playing hardball in negotiations and has frozen all state and Big Bash (domestic T20) contract talks under the threat of a Aus$50,000 ($48,400) fine until the new agreement is in place.”

It added: “The players argue they are not asking for more money, but want to ensure they do not receive less at a time when the game is in reasonable financial health.

“At the moment the players receive 26 percent of all cricket income but that would move to a sliding scale under a new deal.

“The pot from which the percentage is taken would shrink under the proposals.”

A boycott of the England tour would have an impact on their venues, with Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston, Chester-le-Street and Old Trafford scheduled to host one-day internationals in July.