The stage has been set for cricket's rancorous pay dispute to career off the "cliff" beyond the June 30 deadline after the players' union branded as "insufficient"Â a revised Cricket Australia pay offer and advised players not to sign individual contracts issued by the governing body on Friday.
With a week left to the deadline and a break to the impasse not in sight, CA on Friday offered a concession of sorts in a letter from lead negotiator Kevin Roberts to Australian Cricketers' Association chief Alistair Nicholson, saying all domestic players would be included in a share of the game's surplus and have their annual pay rises topped up.
It has not served, however, as the circuit breaker that is desperately needed for a resolution to be found to the ongoing saga, which hinges largely on the players' desire to retain a share of the game's revenue.Â
In a video message filmed for players late on Friday, Nicholson said: "Whilst any movement is welcome, this movement is insufficient. The letter containing this offer is not an accurate reflection of how far apart the parties remain with a week to go.
"It's not revenue-sharing for all players. Also CA has provided inadequate financial information to us, meaning we cannot provide you with the best advice you need to make informed decisions."
Nicholson also told players that CA's sending of individual contracts on Friday had been done without the ACA's consultation and the contracts did not contain terms and conditions. "Our advice is to please do not sign," he said.
CA hit back on Friday night, claiming that "full financial information was provided to the ACA in confidence" this week.
"The ACA currently has all figures and scenarios that Cricket Australia is working with," CA said in a statement. "This information is sufficient for players and their union to assess CA's pay offer. As CA has explained many times to the ACA, 80 per cent of cricket's revenue is uncontracted for the next five years, and confidential scenarios are the appropriate and financially responsible way to approach the issue.
"Details of this offer are able to be negotiated with the ACA, which CA has indicated today."
The players' union had earlier called for the intervention of CA chief executive James Sutherland to engage in emergency mediation with Nicholson in an effort to "rescue cricket from the June 30 cliff".
CA also made no reference to the contentious $29 million of adjustment ledger it proposes to carry over to the new deal in its revised offer, but said it would increase the $20 million cap on the share of international cricket surplus to include all domestic players.
CA's planned model had included international men sharing in up to $16 million of surpluses, with the leading women sharing in up to $4 million. Sheffield Shield players were to be excluded for the first time since the maiden 1997 deal was brokered.
"Player feedback suggests that the sharing of international cricket surpluses with male and female domestic players and the level of pay increases for male state players are critical issues for them," Roberts wrote in a letter to Nicholson.
"CA is now offering to increase the international cricket surpluses that are shared with players; include all domestic players in the sharing arrangements, and increase annual pay rises to male state players (with commensurate increases for WNCL and WBBL players to maintain gender pay)."
Roberts said that contracts had been distributed to players so that they could seek advice and "conditional upon a new MOU being agreed".Â
There are plans for emergency ACA executive and player meetings if next Friday's deadline passes, as appears likely, without at least an agreement in principle on a new pay deal.
ACA president Greg Dyer said on Friday that the union would step up plans to secure new commercial sponsors for players through their new image-rights company, The Cricketers' Brand. This could also lead to players forming a breakaway competition if a broadcaster can be found.
The ACA is also preparing to help pay players through a hardship fund.
"As things stand, from June 30 most of Australia's elite male and female cricket players will be unemployed, jeopardising upcoming tours and ultimately the summer of cricket. This creates uncertainty for broadcasters, sponsors, players and administrators," Dyer said.
"And potentially stains the game, in the eyes of fans, and Australia's reputation in the international community."
Australian captain Steve Smith also bought into the debate on Friday, declaring the players were united behind the ACA.Â
"The players are completely united behind the ACA in these negotiation terms. We know they're working incredibly hard for us to get the best outcome for the game and the fairest share for the players as well," he said.
​CA's pay offer, on face value, would appear to be lucrative for elite female players, with average annual salaries to leap from $79,000 to $179,000. The average pay for state-based female cricketers will rise from $22,000 to $52,000 at a time when the Women's Big Bash League remains in a fledgling state.
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