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Cricket Australia 'optimistic' ahead of talks over pay row which threatens Ashes

Pay issue: Sutherland hopes talks will resolve the pay row: Getty Images
Pay issue: Sutherland hopes talks will resolve the pay row: Getty Images

Cricket Australia on Thursday told the players’ union they will refer their pay dispute to arbitration next week if last-ditch talks fail.

About 230 Australian cricketers have effectively been unemployed since the pay deal expired on June 30.

Cricket Australia rejected a proposal from the players’ union as being detrimental to the grass-roots game, with the impasse putting Australia’s Test tour to Bangladesh next month under threat, along with the following one‑day series in India and even the winter Ashes series against England.

At a news conference today, chief executive James Sutherland said: “I’m optimistic that both parties getting together over the next few days can resolve the issue but time will tell.”

Sutherland did not specify who he would propose to conduct the arbitration or how it would work, but he wanted Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association to “accept the umpire’s decision and the game goes on”.

He added: “I have increasing concerns about timelines.”