Grassroots require major investment - Sutherland

Australia's players need to be paid under a different model because cricket needs grassroots investment worth "hundreds of hundreds of millions of dollars" in order to maintain its health in the country, according to the Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland.

Ahead of a visit to England for ICC meetings coinciding with the Champions Trophy, Sutherland struck a mixed tone about the present pay dispute between CA and the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA), at one point questioning whether the ACA were acting in the best interests of the players but at another insisting CA were committed to maintaining their partnership.

Sutherland, the chairman David Peever and CA's lead negotiator Kevin Roberts are currently reconsidering their initial refusal to entertain the ACA's request for independent mediation to end the present standoff less than five weeks before the current MOU on player payment expires. The board are chasing a radically reshaped deal that breaks up the current fixed revenue percentage model. The reasons for that, Sutherland said, revolved largely around the huge amount of money required to better fund the game's lower levels.

"I'm a coach of an under-13 cricket team. I know and understand the challenges that cricket clubs face," Sutherland told the ABC's 730. "We've identified that we need A$20-30 million per year to really make a difference. On the facilities side, we're talking about hundreds of hundreds of millions of dollars.

"We don't want to entirely abandon [revenue sharing], but we do want to modernise it in the interests of the whole game. We believe the model has served a purpose where previously the players were not well paid. They are well paid now. We're pleased about that, but we have this responsibility to grow the game in the grassroots."

CA are in the closing stages of completing their first national audit of cricket facilities around the country, which is expected to quantify the need for major investment in cricket grounds in general and better facilities for women in particular. While CA's pay offer states it can raise about A$76m for grass roots over the next five years, the ACA's counter-proposal has suggested committing 22.5% of the game's revenue to the same areas - a vastly greater sum.

Also appearing on 730 was the former federal government minister and longtime trade union leader Greg Combet, who has been working with the ACA on how to deal with CA and its board now comprised of the likes of Peever and former Wesfarmers chairman Bob Every. Combet said the players were being asked to become employees instead of partners.

"It seems to be that a business philosophy is being brought to it," Combet said. "That says the players need to be essentially treated like employees and the cricket board will make the decisions about the allocation of the money. 'We don't need any advice from the players, thanks'.That's not going to work in a major Australian sport."

Sutherland rebutted this by saying CA were eager to maintain their partnership with the players, albeit with a different payment model. The presence of both Sutherland and the ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson in London over the next week affords the chance for the pair to meet.

"What I can very clearly say is that we continue to see the very important role that the players play," Sutherland said. "We want to continue the strong partnership that we have built with the players over the course of the last 20 years."