Brearley voices Ashes concern amid ‘looming crisis’ fears

AFP, LONDON: MCC world cricket committee chairman Mike Brearley has said the threat of an Ashes boycott by Australia players is a "serious" concern amid fears of a “looming crisis” for Test cricket as a whole.

A bitter pay dispute between Australia's board and players saw the two sides unable to reach an agreement before last week's deadline after months of protracted talks.

The row, which threatens fixtures including this year's prestige home Ashes series, intensified at the weekend when the Australian Cricketers' Association said players would boycott an Australia A tour of South Africa this month unless a new deal was agreed by Friday.

Brearley, whose influential committee has Australia great Rodney Marsh, until recently the national selector, among its members, said Tuesday after a meeting at Lord's: “We heard from Rodney Marsh that it seemed both sides were very intransigent and not getting close together, although there's some rumour that there might be, in which case somebody we'll have to give way.”

Brearley, England's captain when they won the Ashes 5-1 in Australia in 1978/79 against a depleted home side weakened by mass 'defections' to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket, added: “We think it's a pretty serious thing.

 

Brearley voices Ashes concern amid looming crisis fears

AFP, LONDON: MCC world cricket committee chairman Mike Brearley has said the threat of an Ashes boycott by Australia players is a serious concern amid fears of a looming crisis for Test cricket as a whole. A bitter pay dispute between Australias board and players saw the two sides unable to reach an agreement before last weeks deadline after months of protracted talks. The row, which threatens fixtures including this years prestige home Ashes series, intensified at the weekend when the Australian Cricketers Association said players would boycott an Australia A tour of South Africa this month unless a new deal was agreed by Friday. Brearley, whose influential committee has Australia great Rodney Marsh, until recently the national selector, among its members, said Tuesday after a meeting at Lords: We heard from Rodney Marsh that it seemed both sides were very intransigent and not getting close together, although theres some rumour that there might be, in which case somebody well have to give way. Brearley, Englands captain when they won the Ashes 5-1 in Australia in 1978/79 against a depleted home side weakened by mass defections to Kerry Packers World Series Cricket, added: We think its a pretty serious thing.