EXCLUSIVE: Buchanan slams Australian power brokers as state cricketers pay the price

(Photo: Getty Images)

By Richard Edwards

John Buchanan has slammed both sides in the current contract dispute Down Under – and tells The Cricket Paper that regular State cricketers are already paying a heavy price.

In an exclusive interview, Buchanan revealed that some players have been forced to take up loans since their deals expired on July 1.

That effectively rendered over 200 cricketers unemployed and now, almost a month on, there’s still little sign of common ground being reached between two sides who are both entrenched in their positions.

Buchanan coached the Australian national team between 1999 and 2007, leading the team to World Cup, Champions Trophy and Ashes successes.

He also saw at first-hand the uneasy relationship between Cricket Australia and the Australian team – and isn’t surprised the cracks that have always been present have now developed into something approaching a chasm.

“Am I surprised at the scale of the dispute? Yes and no,” he says. “Yes, in so far as that it has not been resolved yet. No for two reasons. In Australia, the AFL have just settled a long CBA with Players Association; the NRL are in dispute; and at various times soccer, netball and rugby have or are having the occasional flare-up over players’ pay.

“The second reason it would seem that CA and The ACA have not been talking for some time as decisions around pink ball, BBL, Matador Cup & Sheffield Shield, women’s cricket and so on have been made without CA giving the ACA some opportunities to have their say.

“Or if they have, ACA have not taken these up. All these discussions should have been happening at least 12 months back behind closed doors. Both parties should be held responsible and accountable for the current fiasco.”

With the Ashes approaching – and a tour to Bangladesh due to take place in August – time is now running out for both sides to reach an agreement. It’s the players below the highest level that Buchanan has sympathy for, however, and believes that they are finding themselves in an increasingly precarious position.

“I think this whole situation reflects poorly on both parties and that there are some interests being served more than others, especially when it comes to big money and paychecks,” he says.

“We’ve already seen an ‘A’ tour to South Africa cancelled and there’s also the very real possibility of the Bangladesh tour going the same way.  There are young cricketers – both men & women – who are not in the same solid positions as high-profile CA top 20 players, and are being forced to take loans to be professional cricketers!

“Also, what about the coaches and support staff who do not access any of the pay deals, any of the leverage of a union – how are they going? Some are full-time employed by CA and States, but others are trying to run their own small businesses. Who is concerned for them?”

Buchanan expects the impasse to be overcome by the time the first Test of the Ashes begins in Brisbane in November, and even suggests that Cricket Australia won’t be altogether disappointed at the headlines the game has continued to grab during the Aussie winter – even though they have been largely negative for the game at large.

“I think all it is doing is helping to gather early promotion of the tour, at least here in Australia when at this time of the year, it is all the footy codes,” he says.

“The attention already given to cricket and the talk around the Ashes is a promoter’s dream! In general, though, cricket’s administration, not just in Australia but across the world, needs to wake up and show the leadership the game needs and deserves.”