BATHURST bowler Trent Copeland has called for an end to the bitter pay dispute between players and Cricket Australia “for the good of the game.”
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A former Test player who has claimed more than 250 first class wickets, Copeland was amongst those frustrated that a new memorandum of understanding could not be brokered with Cricket Australia (CA).
It left more than 200 cricketers unemployed.
“The disappointing thing is now we are faced with players without contracts, up in the air, in limbo,” Copeland said when discussing the issue on Fox Sports.
“Do they go and get part-time work to get by in the meantime?”
As negotiations this month have failed to provide a resolution, the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) announced late last week that the Australia A squad would boycott the impending tour of South Africa.
“It is with great frustration that with no progress towards resolving the current dispute, Australia A players confirm they will not tour South Africa,” ACA said in a statement.
“This decision is made in support of more than 200 male and female players who are now unemployed, and is consistent with Sunday’s ACA executive meeting resolutions.”
Copeland said the boycott highlighted the resolve of players – including Dubbo product Chris Tremain who was named in the squad – and called for a resolution to be quickly brokered.
“It's a real shame that it's come to something like an Australia A tour,” he said. “All of the players ... this could have been the start of a Test career.
“This is how strongly the players are united, they are willing to forego these opportunities for the good of the game.
“We need to get a deal done for the good of the game, that's Cricket Australia, the players, the fans and the grassroots cricket. Ultimately we need to get to a situation where the players don't have to think about not having jobs, Cricket Australia get what they want and we can all move forward.
“All we want to do is play, that's it.”