Australian pay dispute ends

ADELAIDE, SEPT 16: The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and an association representing its top players, have resolved a pay dispute that h...

ADELAIDE, SEPT 16: The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) and an association representing its top players, have resolved a pay dispute that had threatened to disrupt international matches.

The ACB said today that it and the Australian Cricketers Association signed a three-year memorandum of understanding on Tuesday detailing player remuneration and formalizing the working relationship between the organisations.

The ACB will contribute $250,000 Australian ($150,000) annually to the players’ association.

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The Association will get 20 per cent of cricket revenue up to a certain amount, and 25 per cent of any extra income. The first year is expected to earn the association about $13 million Australian ($7.8 million).

The ACB has 20 players contracted but will expand that to at least 25 because of the new policy of picking separate Test and limited-overs sides.

It has been more than a year since former ACB chief executive and sports management consultant James Erskine first flew to England to brief theAustralian players on their log of claims.

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the Commonwealth Games, limited-overs captain Steve Waugh said he was relieved to see the end of the dispute.

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“It’s a relief for everyone, we can just get on with playing cricket now,” Waugh said.

“It’s had its time and been resolved so it’s great we can get back on with playing cricket and they (the ACB) can get back on with running the game. Everybody is happy with that.”