Cricket Australia and players' union reach landmark pay deal

The long-running disagreement between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association over new employment contracts is over.

The dispute, which has seen Australia's elite cricketers out-of-contract since the beginning of July, has been brought to an end as players and Cricket Australia compromised on a new wage deal.

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) today announced an in-principle agreement ensuring this month's Test tour of Bangladesh and the home Ashes series go ahead.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland said the agreement delivered much-needed certainty for cricket in Australia, telling reporters in Melbourne "it will allow players ... to be contracted immediately."

Sutherland conceded the bitter dispute had caused damage, adding "relationships with the game have been tested and I know that has been a bit of a turn off for fans.

"Both parties acknowledge and regret that. We are restoring certainty and beginning to repair relationships, especially with the fans.

"We want the focus to be back on the cricket."

Players will get up to 30% of revenue - around $500 million in the five-year period covered by the agreement.

The dispute with the ACA came about as Cricket Australia sought to establish a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Cricket Australia wanted to scrap the revenue sharing model that had governed players' salaries since the first MoU was brokered 20 years ago but players insisted it remained.

The new agreement largely ensure the revenue sharing remains, with players to share up to 30% of agreed revenue, which is made up of 27.5% of forecast revenue streams and a 2.5% performance pool.

Sutherland commented "these agreements ... are complex and important to both parties.

"So it's understandable at times they will be difficult."

The Test squad will assemble in Darwin next week for a training camp, with captain Steve Smith and his teammates flying out on 18th August for a two-Test series in Bangladesh.

It was feared that tour, the ensuing trip to India and the Ashes series could be affected by the saga.

Players took the unprecedented step of boycotting an Australia A tour last month and were prepared to take the same action for the Bangladesh series.

Image: The Boxing Day Ashes Test at the MCG looks set to be unaffected.

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