Former Australian Test bowler Merv Hughes believes once the national cricket board Cricket Australia (CA) and players committee Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) will formally begin the proceedings over the pay dispute, the parties are expected to reach an agreement soon on Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) over payment model.
“When the dust settles, I think it’ll progress pretty quickly and I’m confident it’ll sort itself out,” Hughes was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia.
The 55-year-old Victoria-born Hughes stated both the factions have to be cordial with each other, in order to strengthen the grassroots cricket in Australia and keep working for the betterment of the gentleman’s game.
Adding to the report, ACA’s Chief Executive Alistair Nicholson has further kept Steven Smith posted on the impasse with CA, as he attended the meeting of Federation of International Cricketers’ Association for players’ union.
“The thing that I hope is that it doesn’t split the players’ association from Cricket Australia because they need each other to be successful,” Hughes maintained.
Hughes reiterated the long stand-off between the administrations back home would be quite a disturbance for the Baggy Green, who are concurrently participating in the eighth edition of ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales.
However, before flying to the United Kingdom, Australian skipper Steven Smith stated they would be focusing on the game.
“As we go to the Champions Trophy, it’s got to be a distraction for them because they (the players) don’t know where they sit,” Hughes further said.
As June 30 is the expiration date of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Hughes is hopeful that resolution will be passed as negotiations have also taken place in the past without of too much success over two-decade old payment policy.
However, CA’s Chief Executive James Sutherland will attend the world cricket governing body ICC’s annual meeting on June 19, in London, as the event has been slated after the final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017.
“I wouldn’t have thought so, and that’s going to diminish our performance in the Champions Trophy. But I think going forward it’s going to bring the players closer together,” Hughes further added.
Moreover, the reports suggested the fresh contract over 600-page on which details have been mapped out which further provides the details of the contract and all the facets of the professional cricketers’ structure of employment which is further subjected to clearance.
Hughes remarked players have played a significant role for Australia and they should be taken care of while adding cricket should be off from the vested reasons from the administration’s itself.
“It affects them. They’ve got a vested interest, so are their thoughts 100 per cent on the cricket? Let’s face it, the players are the biggest assets that Cricket Australia have got and they’ve got to look after them,” Hughes stated.
As both the parties are wrestling, Cricket Australia has called for an amalgamation where, as ACA have asked for a mediator to look into the matter independently.
“If you take the first backward step, that’s a sign of weakness and Cricket Australia aren’t going to do that and the (ACA) aren’t going to do that,” Hughes reiterated.
Hughes, who featured in 53 Tests and 33 One-day Internationals for Australia was a national selector for five years (2005-20), as he witnessed the landmark deal of the payment revenue model exactly 20 years back.