World Series Cricket - July 1977

Kerry Packer: 'They talk about not being able to pay the cricketers enough. They could have had my money to do it.' © Getty Images

July 14 Melbourne Age writer Peter McFarline attributes Australia's defeat in the second Test to loss of spirit, especially among the younger players, some of whom fear they may have destroyed their careers by signing for Packer.

July 15 The Test and County Cricket Board meets at Lord's - for less than two hours - its findings to be passed on to the Cricket Council at its July 19 meeting and to the International Cricket Conference at its July 26-27 meeting. No statement is issued, but it is assumed that the counties are prepared to take a tough line against the rebels.

July 18 Test umpire Dickie Bird, 44, refuses a Packer three-year contract. "I've always been a loyalist", he says. "It was a very good offer, well above anything I get over here, but I knew I could give only one answer."

July 22 The five Pakistan players on Packer contracts declare themselves unavailable for the home Test matches against England. Asif Iqbal, speaking for Imran, Majid, Mushtaq, Zaheer, and himself, states that they are all looking forward to the Super-Test series.

July 23 A statement issued by JP Sports in Sydney from Australian. tour captain Greg Chappell denies that some players signed by Packer are getting "cold feet". Encouraged by other members of the Australian team to "clear the air", Chappell says he feels it necessary to dispel suggestions that players in the Super-Tests would not be trying.

Packer meanwhile, in an interview in the Sydney Sun-Herald, states that he will take legal action against the ICC if they ban any player, claiming restraint of trade. He says he has enough grounds in Australia to stage his series of three matches between Australia and West Indies and three between Australia and the Rest of the World. His investment will now amount to $4 million. His offer to the ABC for exclusive TV rights was half-a-million dollars a year for three years: "They talk about not being able to pay the cricketers enough. They could have had my money to do it." He says that if he had been given the TV contract he would not have started his series of matches.

July 24 Dates of the Packer matches are revealed, four of them clashing with Australia v India Tests: Melbourne, Dec 2-6; Sydney, Dec 16-20; Adelaide, Dec 30-Jan 3; Melbourne, Jan 13-17; Perth, Jan 27-31; Sydney, Feb 9-13. The Test match dates are: Brisbane, Dec 2-7; Perth, Dec 16-21; Melbourne, Dec 30-Jan 4; Sydney, Jan 7-12; Adelaide, Jan 28-Feb 2.

July 25 Pat Hills, chairman of the Sydney Cricket Ground trust, announces that the trust's long-term commitments to the NSWCA prevent it from being able to grant use of the Test match ground by the Packer organisation. Kerry Packer is said to be considering hiring Sydney Showground. Brisbane Cricket Ground is also expected not to be made available.

July 26 The ICC, which sat for six hours, reaffirms its view (reference June 14 meeting) that the Packer promotion would severely damage the structure of cricket, and players concerned are given until October 1 to withdraw, upon penalty of being banned from Test cricket. It is also strongly recommended that each member country apply similar sanctions at first-class and other domestic levels. The Packer matches this winter, the ICC ruled, will not rank as first-class and will not go into official records.

The full statement, after the ICC meeting, was as follows:

At the meeting today, member countries gave long and earnest consideration to the effect of the Packer proposals, on cricket at all levels and in all countries. They reaffirm the views of the Test match-playing countries, at their meeting on June 14, that the whole structure of cricket, for which their governing bodies are responsible, could be severely damaged by the type of promotion proposed by Mr Packer and his associates.

Following the breakdown of negotiations with Mr Packer, when the Conference was unable to accede to his demand to exclusive TV rights in Australis, members of the ICC today unanimously resolved to ensure that it could honour its responsibilities to players at all levels. To do so, they are determined to continue to promote international matches between countries and to oppose to the maximum extent the series of exhibition matches arranged to take place in Australia during the forthcoming Australian summer. These matches will not rate as first-class, nor appear in official records. In order to give effect to these views the ICC passed unanimously a change in the ICC rules, relating to qualifications for Test matches: 'Notwithstanding anything herein before contained, no player who, after October 1 1977, has played or has made himself available to play in a match previously disapproved by the Conference, shall thereafter be eligible to play in any Test match, without the express consent of the Conference, to be given only on the application of the governing body for cricket of the country for which, but for this sub-rule, the player would be eligible to play.'

In addition to this new rule, the Conference passed unanimously a resolution disapproving certain matches. This read: `It is hereby resolved that any match arranged, or to be arranged, or to be arranged by J P Sports (Pty) Ltd, Mr Kerry Packer, Mr Richie Benaud or associated companies or persons, to take place in Australia or elsewhere between October 1,1977 and March 31, 1979, is disapproved.'

The Conference also passed a guidance resolution as follows:`For future guidance, the Conference records and minutes that matches are liable to be disapproved if so arranged, whether by reference to date or otherwise, as to have the probable result that invitations to play in such matches will conflict with invitations which have been or may be received, to play in first class matches subject to the jurisdiction of the governing bodies of foundation and full members of the Conference'.

The Conference strongly recommended that each member country should pursue as soon as possible, at first-class level and in other domestic cricket activities, the implementation of decisions made in regard to Test matches.

July 27 The New South Wales State Government sacks the 13-man trust, and chair-man Hills says that the new body, when appointed, might look differently upon Packer's request to use the Sydney Cricket Ground.

July 28 On the morning of the Trent Bridge Test match Jeff Thomson announces his withdrawal from the Packer camp. His letter refers to his obligation to Radio 4IP Brisbane, with whom he is under a 10-year contract, and to his desire to play for Queensland and Australia. "I have worked far too hard to reach the top of my sport and I did not agree to be banned from representative play," he wrote. Thomson's manager, David Lord, seeing it as a "major breakthrough", says: "It took a lot of guts for Thommo to do what he has done. He was one of Packer's biggest drawing cards." He adds: "I shall be seeing as many players as I can in an attempt to persuade them to follow Jeff s example." Australian umpires M. G. O'Connell and L. P. Rowan decline offers to join the Packer organisation.

Several Packer players announce their intention of staying with him, Zaheer saying that the thought of leaving Gloucestershire saddens him, but that the offer was "too good to ignore". Dennis Lillee says: "There's no way I'll be trying to wriggle out of my contract."

In Sydney, Packer issues a writ claiming libel against Australian Test selector Neil Harvey.

As the Trent Bridge Test match gets under way a representative of Packer's Channel 9 group lodges a protest that an advertising hoarding for Channel 10 Network near the long-off boundary is occasionally seen on the television screen. The protest is rejected.

July 29 Jamaica's Daily News says that Clive Lloyd, West Indies' captain, will wait and see before deciding whether to stay on Packer's books. He does not see why England should be able to influence West Indies in the matter of banning players since all the West Indians would be available for the home series against Australia. Lance Gibbs is quoted as saying that a ban on Packer players in first-class cricket would satisfy those in England who want to get rid of overseas players.

July 31 Alvin Kallicharran, who followed Jeff Thomson in withdrawing from his Packer contract, is telephoned by Packer. David Lord tells Kallicharran to refer all calls to him, and states that he expects to announce the withdrawal of Vivian Richards, whom he also manages. He challenges Packer to give the remaining 49 players until August 31 to withdraw if they so wish. Kallicharran, whose contract was worth £16,000-a-year, had returned Packer's £400 advance cheque, which he had not banked. He expressed relief at his decision, saying that the strain had had an effect on his batting recently. He wants to continue to play for West Indies, Guyana, and Warwickshire.