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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, July 31, 2017
Players ‘would be silly’ not to consider arbitration - Clarke AUSTRALIA’s cricketers “would be silly” to turn down Cricket Australia’s proposal for arbitration in their ongoing pay dispute, former captain Michael Clarke has said. CA had suggested the option last Thursday, with a guarantee of rollover contracts, to ensure the tours to Bangladesh, in August, and India, in September and October, go through unaffected. But the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) was wary of the idea because it could result in “significant” delays to the resolution of the pay dispute. ACA chief executive
Michael Clarke
Alistair Nicholson said he would prefer to continue negotiations with the board, but will have a final answer on arbitration “by next week”.
Clarke, though, felt it important that the players capitalise on a chance to actually spend some time in the middle. “As a (former) player, I’m saying if a deal’s not done by Monday afternoon allow it go to arbitration because we need this finalised,” he told Channel Nine. “I believe this is definitely going to arbitration, and I think the ACA would be silly to say no to it. The players can’t say no. The players have got to say yes because they’ve got to play.” In the nine months spent deciding on a new Memorandum of Understanding between
CA and ACA, one tour has already fallen by the wayside - Australia A’s to South Africa - leaving some of the nation’s best players with little to no practice ahead of what is expected to be a tough visit to the subcontinent. Bangladesh beat England in Dhaka last year, taking all 10 wickets in a session and similar spinner-friendly conditions might await Steven Smith’s men. Facing India for one-day cricket in their own conditions will be a daunting prospect as well. Clarke felt it imperative that the players face such challenges if they are to be ready
to win back the Ashes in November-December. “This team cannot afford to miss one game of cricket if we want to beat England in the Ashes,” he said. “We need to go to Bangladesh, we need to go to India for the ODIs, and then we need to play our best cricket to beat England in Australia, which I believe we will if we’ve played some cricket together as a team. “The players are not CEO of a business or general manager of a business. That’s not their responsibility. This needs to be done between CA and the players’ association, and the players need to do
what (they) know best and that’s to play this game we love.” If a peace deal cannot be brokered between CA and ACA as their chiefs James Sutherland and Nicholson meet again over the weekend, and it does go down to arbitration, Clarke tweeted that the “players will win.” Despite the uncertainty surrounding Australian cricket’s immediate future, CA has confirmed that day one of this summer’s Ashes series against England - November 23 at the Gabba - was already sold out, with day two close to a sellout as well.
Test cricket could ‘die’ in several countries because of dwindling crowds FORMER England captain Mike Brearley believes Test cricket could “die” in countries such as Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa due to dwindling crowds. Brearley, who recently stepped down from his role as chairman of the MCC World Cricket Committee, claims Test cricket is facing a looming crisis due to the popularity of the limited-overs game. “If Test cricket declines further in places like Pakistan, and I don’t mean they’re declining as a team, they’re doing very well, but in countries like Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, where there are no crowds, then it will die in those countries,” Brearley told BBC’s Sportsweek. “We made some of those statements at the end of our meeting two or three weeks ago in London and actually I’ve heard nothing from them (the game’s authorities). “I hope, nevertheless, that these things infiltrate under the surface. There’s a lot of good effort and good thinking in the ICC, but I
think they’ve got to grasp, get hold of Test cricket by the scruff of the neck and put all the effort into promoting and marketing it, like they already do with marketing and promoting T20 cricket.”
Mike Brearley
Brearley said Test cricket has suffered due to the rise of Twenty20 leagues in all the leading Test-playing nations. “There is a looming crisis for Test cricket. It’s already there to some extent,” he said. “But it’s likely to get worse unless something is done about it and the looming crisis has two facets. “One is that there is a conflict or tension between 20-over and 50-over cricket
on the one side and five-day cricket on the other. “ S e c o n d l y, t h e r e ’s a tension between domestic leagues, like the Indian Premier League and also now the South African League and the Big Bash in Australia, the T20 competition that’s going to start in England, and so on. “I hope, nevertheless, that these things infiltrate under the surface. There’s a lot of good effort and good thinking in the ICC, but I think they’ve got to grasp, get hold of Test cricket by the scruff of the neck and put all the effort into promoting and marketing it, like they already do with marketing and promoting T20 cricket.” Brearley said Test cricket has suffered due to the rise of Twenty20 leagues in all the leading Test-playing nations. “There is a looming crisis for Test cricket. It’s already there to some extent,” he said. “But it’s likely to get worse unless something is done about it and the looming crisis has two facets.”One is that there is a conflict or tension between
Barcelona edge out Real Madrid in thrilling Miami Clasico (REUTERS) - Barcelona drew first blood against Real Madrid ahead of the new season with a 3-2 victory in a pulsating Clasico friendly on Saturday in Miami. The historic rivals will meet again twice in August in the Spanish Super Cup and this International Champions Cup match set the entertainment bar high, with Barcelona maintaining their 100 per cent record in pre-season. “Physically we are in good shape, the team is winning, we just have to correct our errors,” Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets told Premier Sports. “We’re happy for the win, it was a lot of fun for the fans because there were a lot of chances, although the players
suffered in the heat and humidity.” While Barcelona beat Juventus and Manchester United, Madrid’s defeat means they end their pre-season tour of the United States without a victory. “I don’t care much about the defeat, it always hurts but right now it’s not the important thing,” said Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane. “It’s pre-season. The results haven’t gone as hoped for but it will not change anything. The important thing is to be ready for Aug. 8 (when Madrid face Manchester United in the European Super Cup).” Madrid were missing Cristiano Ronaldo, still on holiday, but both teams were close to full strength.
Ernesto Valverde, getting a taste of Clasico drama early in his career as Barcelona manager, selected Neymar despite speculation swirling over the Brazilian’s future at the club. However, it was stalwart Lionel Messi who opened the scoring after just three minutes, firing home with the help of a deflection, before Ivan Rakitic doubled the lead with a powerful drive from Neymar’s low pass. The sell-out crowd at the Hard Rock Stadium were in for a thrilling night and Madrid fought their way back into the game with Mateo Kovacic drilling home expertly, before Marco Asensio equalised in the 36th minute after a lightning break.
20-over and 50-over cricket on the one side and five-day cricket on the other.”Secondly, there’s a tension between
domestic leagues, like the Indian Premier League and also now the South African League and the Big Bash in
Australia, the T20 competition that’s going to start in England, and so on. (Telegraph Sport)