Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
The clock is still ticking in Australian cricket’s pay stoush, with the sport risking further damage if peace is not brokered this week.
Monday brought no progress in protracted pay talks. The next round of meetings between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) is now expected to take place on Wednesday.
Australia faces India in its Women’s World Cup semi-final on Thursday, with the tournament decider to come at Lord’s on Sunday.
There is every chance Australia will lift the trophy. The defending champions dropped only one game in the pool stage and remain title favourites.
There is also every chance a ticker-tape parade upon returning home would be a celebration for unemployed players, in which they would join their World Cup-winning male colleagues
It is understood Commonwealth Bank, having rejigged its agreement with CA last year to focus on women’s sport and diversity programs, was far from impressed with proceedings.
Commonwealth Bank offered no comment regarding pay talks on Monday, noting only that it was “immensely proud to be the principal sponsor of the Australian women’s cricket team”.
Sponsors are among many stakeholders desperately hoping for a resolution to the stoush.
The Women’s World Cup squad have performed admirably despite the spectre of uncertainty.
“Hopefully the MOU negotiations will get sorted back home and we can come back home with a trophy and hopefully a pay slip in August,” keeper Alyssa Healy said earlier this month.
“The ACA and Cricket Australia have both left us alone as well and just made sure we’re focusing on the World Cup.”
