Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has said that the players are willing to take the salary cuts owing to the financial crunch Cricket Australia is going through due to the coronavirus.
Last week, Cricket Australia had announced that it would be furloughing 80% of its staff to tackle the challenges of financial crisis due to the coronavirus. As per some reports, the Board is set to run out of cash in by August if the situation continues.
“It probably took me a little bit by surprise. Just through the fact that it’s probably happened at a perfect time, I guess, this pandemic, for Cricket Australia,” Hazlewood was quoted as saying to Sydney Morning Herald on Monday.
Obviously, Josh Hazlewood was not happy with the ongoing situation the country and Cricketing board is facing. He also said that as long as there is transparency between the Cricket Australia (CA) and Australian Cricketers Association (ACA), all the players would happily sail through this tough time.
According to the MoU signed between the Cricket Australia (CA) and Australia Cricketers’ Association (ACA), the former must provide the latter with revenue estimates and a national contract list for the upcoming summer by April 30.
“We are no different from any other sport. It just depends how long it hangs around as to how much it is going to affect us, I guess. If it leads into next summer, it will be quite serious,” Hazlewood said.
Right now, there’s uncertainty as to what percentage pay cut the players may be forced to take if no cricket is played this summer and the right-arm pacer would still like to see that deadline met in 10 days.
“April 30 is what the players want and it’s in the MOU but I guess these are strange times. Anything can happen. The ideal (situation) is that they’ve put out before April 30 and obviously then we will know, financially, what we can get ready for and how much of a percentage is lost and how much of our contracts are affected.”
“The sooner we know that, the more we can plan for the next 12 months,” he added.
Australia’s tour of Bangladesh in June comprising of two Tests has been postponed due to the coronavirus.
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