Oz players to take on Cricket Australia over pay and sponsorships
4 Dec 2008, 1030 Hrs

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Melbourne, Dec.4 Top cricketers of Australia have said that they are ready to take on their Cricket Australia bosses over the issue of more pay and wanting less public exposure.

On the pay front, international and state players currently share in a quarter of all revenue, with Cricket Australia recording a total revenue of more than 146 million dollars in 2007-08, up 26 million dollars from a year earlier.

The top-25 CA-listed players enjoy annual retainers of between 160,000 dollars to about 800,000 dollars plus match fees and prize money.

But it's understood the ACA will ask for a bigger cut, in part because of exploding television contracts and the rise of Twenty20 cricket - a move that is likely to anger CA powerbrokers.

A Herald Sun report has also revealed that some of the players find the Cricket Australia imposed clauses in their contracts too intrusive and demanding, and therefore, are seeking a new memorandum of understanding.

At present, the players are contracted to take part in up to 22 sponsorship appearances for Cricket Australia and their states in a year, with no more than four in a month.

Some say this is too much considering the crowded international and domestic seasons, but for CA it remains an important part of attracting sponsors, which contribute millions of dollars to the game and bankroll the salaries of the game's stars.

Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive Paul Marsh said sponsorship obligations would be hotly discussed at the two-day meeting to be held at the end of the month.

As both parties finalize their plans and figures, the players have been warned the economic downturn could affect revenue projections with world markets bracing for a recession.

Players will also be told that CA distributions to the states have dropped in recent years (down three million dollars last season) and this could have an impact at grassroots level where cricket is fighting with other sports for the attention of children and their parents. (ANI)