Australia's cricketers sign new deal

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) have signed a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will result in both national and state players receiving pay rises and increased career and welfare support. In April this year, the players had finally ended months of negotiation and avoided a potential repeat of the sponsorship crisis that afflicted West Indies.

The agreement meant that retainers of players contracted to the Australian board will grow at an annual rate of 5.78% and those of state-contracted players will increase at an annual rate of 5.53% over the term of the agreement. Test players, who will earn a minimum retainer of Au$145,000 in the 2005-06 season, will see their base income rise to Au$160,000 by the end of the deal in 2008-09. State players receive a maximum of Au$95,000 and a minimum of Au$34,000 next season, rising to a maximum of Au$110,000 in 2008-09. However, match fees for each Test (Au$12,250) and Pura Cup game (Au$3300) will not change yet.

James Sutherland, the CEO of the Australian board, said the new agreement will allow the game to reward Australian and state players with increased payments, balanced with the ability to continue investing heavily in the game at grassroots level.

"Cricket Australia is pleased that it has been able to continue the partnership with the Australian Cricketers' Association," Sutherland said. "Our starting point in negotiating this new agreement was to ensure that we can continue paying our players well, allowing them to share in the financial success of the game, without compromising the game at grassroots level. Results of a recent review into Australian cricket suggest it is in good shape, but can't afford to rest on its laurels and expect to maintain its privileged place in the Australian way of life. We need to nurture the game, both at the elite level and the grassroots and due to the co-operation of the ACA we are now in a better position than ever to do this.

Tim May, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, said the new agreement was an acknowledgement of the players' contribution to the success of Australian cricket both off and on the field. "Our players have worked hard and achieved great things for Australian cricket and they deserve to be rewarded for this success and the revenue growth that this success has created," May said. "By maintaining a 25 per cent share of Australian Cricket Revenue, players have an incentive to grow the game's revenues and satisfy and support sponsor initiatives. An important platform of the new agreement is the significant increase to funding for the players' Career and Welfare Program.

May added that The Career and Welfare Program, coordinated by the ACA in conjunction with the state cricket associations, will enjoy an injection of a further Au$2million over the term of the agreement. The amount will assist the appointment of C&W specific resources in each state, subsidies to assist and encourage players to commit to higher education and development of their after cricketing careers, together with an expanded base of welfare resources off the field.

The new MOU will also see:

* Players receive 25 per cent of a redefined Australian Cricket Revenue pool, known as the Player Payments Pool (PPP). Cricket Australia-contracted players will receive 55 per cent of the PPP, while state-contracted players will receive 45 per cent of the PPP;

* The ability for state teams to offer up to three extra rookie contracts per season (now eight); and

* Au$2.8 million invested in career and welfare programs over the life of the agreement, including a set fund designed to encourage players to take up tertiary study. This is up from $800,000 in the previous MOU.