Published: Aug 01, 2017, 09:14 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 01, 2017, 09:14 PM (IST)
Australia captain Steven Smith has reiterated the fact that Australia cricketers will not tour Bangladesh unless and until a resolution is achieved in the ongoing pay dispute between Cricket Australia (CA) and Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA). The tour is scheduled to begin on August 22 with the first Test to be played from August 27.
“I’d like to, but as we’ve said for a long time we need to get the deal done first,” Smith told Fox Sports when asked whether he expected the Bangladesh series to go ahead. “I don’t think it would be fair for us to go away after the [Australia] A guys were very strong on not going away on their tour [of South Africa], for us to then go away, I don’t think that’s fair.
“CA know this. They’ve been told this. I told Pat Howard [CA’s Executive GM of Team Performance] personally that this was how things were going to be if there wasn’t a deal done.”
As per recent reports, CA and ACA are inching closer to reach an agreement. Smith remains hopeful about that. He stated that there have been “some really good progress” in negotiations. Smith also said that being a captain, it is difficult to take a stand on behalf of the players and also maintain good relationships with CA.
“It’s had some difficult moments,” said Smith. “When this is all over with, I have to deal with Pat Howard, I have to deal with the Board [CA] and speak to James Sutherland (CA CEO) so I have to be careful with what sort of lines I tread. Some guys have been really vocal on social media and I think the way for me to lead in this dispute is to be able to talk to guys behind the scenes that are at the table and doing the job.”
If all goes well, this will be the first time in 11 years that Australia will play a Test series in Bangladesh. The last time they toured was in April 2006.
