Contract list delayed as selectors sharpen blades

Australia's selectors have another week to finalise fitting 34 players into 25 contract spots for the next 12 months. The 2008-09 deals expired on Friday and Andrew Hilditch's panel is not expected to meet until the team's limited-overs series concludes in the United Arab Emirates with a Twenty20 on Thursday.

While the playing schedule is one reason for the delay - last year's list was released on April 9 - another issue is the ongoing memorandum of understanding talks between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association, which include player payments and responsibilities. The negotiations will determine the amount of money available to the squad.

"Once the player payment pool is decided the individual worth of the players will be determined," a Cricket Australia spokesman said. The 25 contract holders receive confidential rankings and over the past year the top earners, including the captain Ricky Ponting, collected more than $1 million before match payments. At the bottom rung the retainer was $180,000.

Throughout the summer an unprecedented 11 players were upgraded to national deals after appearing in the various sides, which suffered regular injury problems while undergoing a major regeneration. Those representatives, including Jason Krejza, Peter Siddle and David Warner, joined at the base rate and earned $15,000 for each full month they were on Cricket Australia's books. In 15 Tests since last May, 25 players were used, including 11 debutants, while the same number of new faces appeared in the one-day team and another eight were welcomed in the Twenty20 outfit.

Over the next week the selectors have to slash the current collection and ensure only 25 men check into the pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast on May 24. Hilditch's situation could have been even worse without the retirements of Matthew Hayden and Stuart MacGill, who were in last year's initial intake. Players in danger of missing out following injury-interrupted campaigns include Phil Jaques and Ashley Noffke while Brad Hodge and Beau Casson have been overlooked throughout the summer.

The delay in announcing the squad is not an immediate worry for Australia, but it has bigger implications on the domestic scene. "The issue is more relevant to state players as they have the ability to negotiate their contracts," Paul Marsh, the ACA's chief executive, said. "Until states know the size of the pool they have from which to pay players, they can't realistically offer any contracts."

Marsh said the payment issue was the largest piece of the MOU negotiations. "Once this is agreed the rest should move reasonably quickly," he said. "I can't predict how much longer it will take.

"While agreement on the player payment pool is a critical part of the process, it has not held up the announcement of CA contracts. The CA selectors can select the 25 players independent of determining contract values. Values are not subject to player negotiation, rather a formula based on the ranking of each player and the total amount for distribution to players."

Australia's initial 2008-09 list Doug Bollinger (NSW), Nathan Bracken (NSW), Beau Casson (NSW), Stuart Clark (NSW), Michael Clarke (NSW), Brad Haddin (NSW), Matthew Hayden (Qld), Ben Hilfenhaus (Tas), Brad Hodge (Vic), James Hopes (Qld), David Hussey (Vic), Michael Hussey (WA), Phil Jaques (NSW), Mitchell Johnson (Qld), Simon Katich (NSW), Brett Lee (NSW), Stuart MacGill (NSW), Shaun Marsh (WA), Ashley Noffke (Qld), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Andrew Symonds (Qld), Shaun Tait (SA), Adam Voges (WA), Shane Watson (Qld), Cameron White (Vic).

Additional contract holders Jason Krejza (Tas), Peter Siddle (Vic), Nathan Hauritz (NSW), David Warner (NSW), Andrew McDonald (Vic), Phillip Hughes (NSW), Bryce McGain (Vic), Marcus North (WA), Callum Ferguson (SA), Brett Geeves (Tas), Ben Laughlin (Qld).