Australia’s bruising and protracted cricket pay dispute was yesterday finally resolved, with players and management agreeing on a new “in principle” deal, ensuring upcoming series against Bangladesh, India and England can go ahead.
“Today’s agreement is the result of sensible compromises by both parties,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said, adding that the “core issues” had been worked out.
Sutherland added that the deal would “restore much certainty to the game of cricket.”
“It will allow all players — state and international players — to be contracted immediately and it will also allow the all-important tour of Bangladesh to proceed as planned,” he said.
At the heart of the dispute has been the divisive issue of revenue sharing, a model that was largely retained under the new deal.
The standoff has been rumbling for months, rattling the game and badly straining players’ relationship with the governing body.
It left 230 cricketers unemployed since the end of June, when their contracts expired, putting the Test tour to Bangladesh this month under serious threat.
However, Steve Smith is now to lead his team to Dhaka on Aug. 18, with a one-day tour to India next month and October and the showpiece home Ashes series against England, beginning in November, also now safe.
An Australian A tour to South Africa last month was called off after players announced a boycott.
“Relationships with the game have been tested and I know that has been a bit of a turnoff for fans,” Sutherland said.
“Both parties acknowledge and regret that. We are restoring certainty and beginning to repair relationships, especially with the fans. We want the focus to be back on the cricket,” he added.
Sutherland had last week warned that unless negotiations produced a compromise by this week, he would take the matter to arbitration.
This sparked new urgency to strike a deal, with talks continuing over the weekend.
An announcement was widely expected on Tuesday or Wednesday, but it took longer than expected for the two sides to sign off on the deal.
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