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Both teams are coming off fine wins, with Khulna beating Chittagong Vikings by 18 runs while Dhaka crushed Sylhet Sixers with eight wickets and 73 balls remaining

The Report by Mohammad Isam14-Nov-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAshley Allen – CPL T20 / GettyKieron Pollard nicked the battle of big-hitters against Carlos Brathwaite as the Shere Bangla National Stadium were enthralled by both batsman’s six-hitting abilities. Pollard’s 24-ball 55 – that had six huge sixes – helped Dhaka Dynamites to their third win in a row, this time beating Khulna Titans by four wickets in the final over.Khulna had earlier made 156 for 5, a remarkable recovery from a sluggish 47 for three in the first 10 overs. The late addition came mostly through Brathwaite’s unbeaten 64 that included six sixes in the last 5.5 overs. Abu Hider took two wickets while Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan and Shahid Afridi took one each.Dhaka’s chase, however, started even poorer. They were 41 for 5 at one stage, but Pollard’s cluster of sixes bought them back into the game, before Jahurul Islam and Mosaddek Hossain took them to victory with a ball to spare.Slow to startKhulna struck only five boundaries in the first 10 overs after being sent to bat. They also lost Michael Klinger, Dhiman Ghosh and Nazmul Hossain Shanto during the same period. The lack of boundaries played a big factor in each of these batsmen’s dismissals.Klinger’s cross-bat took a top edge and was well caught at mid on by Hider, off Shakib. The bowler-fielder combination then switched roles as Hider took Dhiman’s wicket in the sixth over, the skier taken in the second attempt by Shakib.Narine easily scalped Shanto in the tenth over when the batsman charged him needlessly, only to be stumped by Jahurul Islam for a 25-ball 24.Khulna’s late burstEerily similar to their previous game, Brathwaite got into his stride soon after Mahmudullah got out. He first struck Afridi for two sixes in the space of three balls, first over the bowler’s head and then over midwicket. Shakib then went for 17 runs in the 16th over, which included another six over midwicket that went deeper than the one in the previous over.Rilee Rossouw got out in the next over to end the rapid 54-run fifth-wicket stand but Brathwaite struck his fourth six before reaching his maiden T20 fifty off just 25 balls. In the final over, both his sixes off Hider went straight, the second slightly bigger than the first. He finished with six maximums in his unbeaten 29-ball 64.Pollard’s reply to BrathwaiteDhaka, too, slipped like Khulna in the first half of their innings. Abu Jayed had Evin Lewis skied to mid off in the first over, Afridi slammed one to cover in the second over before Jofra Archer bowled Cameron Delport with a quick delivery. Mahmudullah took a sharp catch to remove Narine and Dhaka’s crisis deepened further in the ninth when Shakib was caught for 20.But the scenario changed in the space of five balls, of which four went for sixes off Pollard’s bat. All of those went over long on, despite Mahmudullah’s varying lengths. That over, the innings’ 11th, cost 25 runs. Pollard didn’t spare Brathwaite either, hitting his compatriot for two sixes, both on the leg side in the 13th over that cost 20 runs. From a precarious position, Dhaka had reduced the chase to 58 off the last seven overs.The pullback via ArcherJofra Archer, whose pace has troubled a few batsmen in the BPL, used it to good effect in the 14th over. He gave away just three runs, after which Shafiul picked up the key wicket of Pollard in the following over. Much of the credit for Pollard’s wicket, however, should go to Archer for bringing some control to the Khulna attack. Between the 14th and 17th overs, Khulna conceded only two fours as Dhaka went left needing 27 off the last three overs.Some local creditThe lack of contribution from the local players had been a concern in the BPL but the way Jahurul and Mosaddek played out the last 5.1 overs should be appeasing. They narrowed the chase down with two balls to go, but Jahurul’s reverse off Brathwaite, with four needed, was a was superbly executed. The pair added 43 in their unbroken seventh-wicket stand.What they said”I gambled with that reverse scoop off the second last ball. This is the first time I played in a match.”

After beating a host of big names to the 2023 women's award, the Madrid CFF star's career looks set to explode in the coming years

The 2023 Women’s World Cup belonged to Spain, who beat England 1-0 in the final in Sydney back in August – but, in another way, it also belonged to Africa. For the first time in tournament history, despite off-pitch obstacles suggesting that the odds were against them, three African nations made it through to the last 16 of the competition.

For Morocco, it was a reward for the excellent work the federation has done investing in women's football, following up the team's run to the final of a home Women's Africa Cup of Nations in 2022. But for Nigeria and South Africa, it was a message sent to their federations that they deserve that investment and made many ponder what both nations could achieve with more. After all, eventual finalists England needed a penalty shootout to beat an impressive Nigeria side, while South Africa posed the Netherlands plenty of problems and created tons of chances despite the final result being a 2-0 win for the Dutch.

There was history for Zambia, too, the Copper Queens completing the quartet of nations representing Africa in Australia and New Zealand. Pooled in an extremely tough group in which eventual champions Spain only finished second, behind a Japan team that thrashed them 4-0, Zambia couldn’t secure their spot in the knockout rounds but they did secure a first ever Women’s World Cup win, on their tournament debut.

The team’s 3-1 win over Costa Rica was a memorable one for a team packed with talent, the Copper Queens backing up their fantastic achievement of qualifying for the Olympic women’s football tournament in 2021 with even more history at another huge international event.

With a third-placed finish secured at WAFCON last year, too, it’s clear that this team is one with a very bright future, the average age of their World Cup squad coming in at just over 23 years. From China-based superstar Barbra Banda to talented midfielder Grace Chanda, there are so many quality players to note in this team and prime among them is Racheal Kundananji, this year’s GOAL50 women’s winner and the first ever GOAL50 winner, men’s or women’s, from Africa.

GettySlowly but surely

Kundananji’s rise to the top of the women’s game, with her catching everyone’s eye last season thanks to a remarkable 25 goals in just 29 league games in Spain, didn’t come overnight. Having shone in Zambia’s domestic league as a teenager, the forward caught the eye of Kazakhstani club BIIK Kazygurt during a national team camp and was soon on her way to Europe.

Though boasting one of Europe’s lower-profile leagues, playing in Kazakhstan was that first step towards where she is today and it gave her a taste of the UEFA Women’s Champions League, too, with Kundananji scoring four goals in 11 appearances in the competition.

“The coach believed in me that I could improve, especially in front of goal,” she recalled earlier this year, in an interview with . “They believed in me and gave me a chance. When I received the contract, I was very happy. It has been my dream to play in Europe and that was a big motivation for me. When I went to Kazakhstan, I worked so hard to improve myself in every way. I know I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to perfect myself. From the day I moved there to where I am now, I’m just trying to perfect myself. No one is perfect, no one is the best they can be, but I work hard every day to make sure I can do the best I can.”

Kundananji’s hard work paid off when, in 2021, she was spotted by Spanish side Eibar and earned a move to one of Europe’s biggest leagues. Again, it wasn’t easy when she got there. The club was battling relegation and would eventually succumb to that fate – but the Zambian forward’s eight goals in 21 appearances for a struggling team meant she would get a chance to stick around in the top tier…

AdvertisementGettyMarvellous in Madrid

A move to the Spanish capital beckoned in the summer of 2022 when Madrid CFF, an independent women’s club, came calling. Given the team is not attached to a successful (and rich) men's side, things are not easy for Madrid CFF. Indeed, it was long thought that the club would be taken over by Real Madrid when Los Blancos eventually decided to get involved in the women's game. However, that wouldn't prove to be the case. Real targeted another independent club, CD Tacon, and Madrid CFF have continued to impress over the years.

The club has been in the top tier in Spain ever since promotion as champions of the second division in 2017 and they have had some memorable campaigns, most notably the 2020-21 season, in which they registered a seventh-placed finish in the league and reached the semi-finals of the Copa de la Reina.

But, having finished 13th the following year, Kundananji’s arrival ahead of the 2022-23 campaign would eventually propel them to a best-ever place of fifth, the Zambian star netting 25 times in 29 Liga F outings. Only Alba Redondo, the Spain international at Levante, bettered those numbers, scoring 27 to win the Golden Boot.

GettyA joy to watch

To watch Kundananji play is to watch someone who absolutely loves what she does. The delight with which she races into her trademark knee slide celebration never fails to put a smile on your face – and it is something we have seen plenty of since she moved to Madrid.

As well as being blessed with great pace, Kundananji has a fantastic understanding of the game, great awareness and an enviable ability to use both feet. It means she's capable of scoring such a variety of goals – be they tap-ins that showcase her great instincts, technically stunning strikes or composed finishes when there is only the goalkeeper to beat.

The 23-year-old can just about do it all and she does it with infectious energy, your eye drawn to her ability to constantly be a threat to the opponent. She is a delight to watch when she is in full flow, and she usually is.

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Giant-killer

Despite spending the 2022-23 season scoring for fun, the final weekend of the Liga F season felt like a big moment for Kundananji. Everyone had seen her numbers and understood what she could do but when Barcelona came to town on May 21, she put an exclamation mark at the end of it all.

The Catalans had won the league on April 30, with four games to spare, and were bidding to make it an invincible season. They had won every single league game on their way to that title and their only dropped points had come two games later, away at Sevilla on May 10. But Madrid weren’t there to simply roll over and let that happen. Instead, two first half goals, within seven minutes of each other, saw Kundananji set her team on their way to a shock victory.

The Zambian star was a serious threat on the counter and complemented her pace with her clinical touch to not only spoil Barca’s chances of an unbeaten season, but to condemn the Spanish – and soon-to-be European – champions to a first league loss in 65 games, ending a streak that had gone on for two years.

Fulham are chasing both Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and Everton forward Demarai Gray, according to reports.

Who will Fulham sign?

The Whites, having already signed centre-back Calvin Bassey and Mexico international striker Raul Jimenez this summer, are attempting to strengthen their ranks further before deadline day.

Fulham enjoyed a solid first full campaign back in the top flight under Marco Silva, finishing in mid-table and even above arch west London rivals Chelsea, who endured a nightmare season.

They even contested for Europe, but if they're to build upon that success, more new signing are needed after the captures of Bassey and Jimenez.

Last season's star striker, Aleksandar Mitrovic, is reliably believed to be pushing for a Fulham exit with Silva even commenting on the saga amid his links to Saudi Arabia.

"It's not the ideal situation, I have to tell you. Not because he received an offer, it's the situation about himself," Silva told reporters last month.

"As you know, he's not going to play tomorrow, he didn't play last Wednesday. He's not working properly with his team mates and when I say this is not the ideal scenario, this is the situation.

"When it's out of my control as a manager, this is not something that concerns me, but I would like to have a different scenario in that situation … Sometimes you have individual decisions that is for them to take care of."

Meanwhile, another Fulham star who could move to the Middle East is Willian, despite him signing a new contract recently, as Al Shabab push hard for his signature.

The need for a new winger may have intensified as a result, with both Hudson-Odoi and Gray linked to Craven Cottage moves in recent weeks.

The BBC have backed Fulham talks to sign the latter player, while Hudson-Odoi is believed to be a firm transfer target as well.

According to The Daily Mail and journalist Simon Jones, it appears Silva's side are targeting both players simultaneously. Indeed, according to their information, Fulham are "chasing" Hudson-Odoi and Gray this summer, but with deadline day in just over three weeks, they may need to hurry.

Not much else is said beyond that, but it looks as if Fulham supporters could expect more activity before the window closes.

How good is Callum Hudson-Odoi?

While Hudson-Odoi struggled to make his impact on loan at Leverkusen, we believe he has more potential to thrive at Fulham than Gray, namely due to his younger age.

The £180,000-per-week Chelsea forward, 22, has far more years ahead of him than Everton's attacker (27), with legends of the game having also tipped him to be huge.

“I know what a player he is," said former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard to the media in 2019.

"He can be an incredible player and he has improvement to make and I want to work with him to do it. But for that he needs to stay longer at the club and of course that then goes to a decision between him and the club itself. I can see him being a huge player for us.”

Meanwhile Gray, for his part, has been called "unbelievable" by former Man United defender Rio Ferdinand.

Tottenham Hotspur continue to be linked with one defensive reinforcement in particular, who would likely hinder rather than help in bolstering Ange Postecoglou's squad for the coming campaign…

Has Clement Lenglet gone to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to the Spanish publication Sport, who suggest that the Lilywhites have made decisive steps towards signing Barcelona centre-back and former loanee Clement Lenglet permanently.

It is said that they continue to work on a deal for the Frenchman, despite his questionable displays last term that led to such a woeful year for the club.

The Catalonian giants seem keen to offload their expensive flop, but their €15m (£13m) valuation represents a disparity between the two sides.

However, they are coming closer to an agreement, with his departure expected in just over a week.

How good is Clement Lenglet?

Considering how proactive their new manager has been this window in reshaping the club, it would be a surprise to see him return to Lenglet in particular, given his short but tumultuous history in north London.

Having been brought in on a one-year loan by Antonio Conte, the 28-year-old played under three different managers across that one season, and admittedly disappointed throughout.

His 6.65 average rating in the Premier League emphasises this, as he failed to live up to the classy ball-playing billing that likely spurred Barcelona to spend £31.7m to tempt him from Sevilla.

This rating was exacerbated through several facets, but mainly just an inability to compete with the physicality of English football. Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke had predicted such an eventuality, as he wrote in June 2022:

"The criticism is made of Lenglet that he lacks the speed and agility of a modern centre-back and that he may struggle with the physicality of the Premier League."

With just one clean sheet to his name across his 24 league appearances, even though he posted somewhat admirable figures for clearances per game (2.6) and pass accuracy (87%), it is clear that his involvement came at the detriment of the solidity of the team, via Sofascore.

It should have come as no surprise though, as the season prior in LaLiga he posted an equally-disappointing 6.67 average rating, this time seeing his interceptions per game drop to 0.6, and his clearances per game to 0.9, also per Sofascore.

The very start of that campaign had seen him lambasted too, with CBS Sports journalist Jonathan Johnson noting:

"Lenglet. A complete & utter liability of a defender."

Should Spurs once again seek to purchase outcasts from the Nou Camp, they could risk repeating their failed 2021 move when they brought in Emerson Royal.

The stature of a club of their size often lends to the over-inflated prices that their sales can bring, and that was certainly the case with the Brazilian full-back, who moved for an initial £25.8m fee.

He has since gone on to play 77 times for the north London outfit, hardly setting the world alight.

Billed as an all-action wing-back capable of spearheading a system reliant on this role, his first league campaign saw the 24-year-old maintain a 6.88 average rating, scoring just once and assisting another one.

He would fare a little better the year following, increasing his goal contributions to three in the most recent term, via Sofascore.

Such underperformance has rightly led to criticism, with journalist Josh Bunting pulling no punches in his scathing assessment of the move that went beyond just his offensive deficiencies:

"Emerson Royal just isn’t good enough at all, he’s not Premier League quality whatsoever. Dreadful performance again today, decision making and just general football intelligence is simply dreadful. Maybe the worst player to play for Tottenham in my lifetime and I mean that".

Such abject failure should worry Postecoglou, and perhaps warn him that although Lenglet might appear to be a fine cut-price option to bolster his backline, he could instead end up repeating old mistakes and tying down another dud on a lucrative long-term deal.

Liverpool players were left as stunned as fans on Friday as they reportedly only learnt of Jurgen Klopp's departure shortly before it was announced.

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Klopp to leave at end of seasonSquad learns of news shortly before announcement Decision made in November but players kept in dark(C)Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

While the German explained that he had communicated his decision to the Liverpool board last November, players were unaware of the decision until just before the bombshell announcement on Friday morning.

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The Chris Bascombe reports that: "Although Klopp told the Liverpool hierarchy of his intention in November, the players were only informed this morning. Naturally, they are as shocked as the supporters and the rest of the football world."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While its understandable that Klopp and the club would keep the news under wraps from the autumn, particularly as the team hit a strong run of form, it comes as something of a surprise that players received the news at the same time as the general public. One of the challenges facing Klopp between now and the end of the season will be to settle his squad and use the end of his time at Anfield as a positive motivational factor, with Liverpool very much a candidate for trophies in every competition.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL AND KLOPP?

We'll get a first glimpse at how the squad reacts to the stunning news when Liverpool take on Norwich City at Anfield on Sunday, in a game that has now suddenly taken on a huge emotional significance.

Galatasaray fans put on an incredibly intimidating display with a 'Welcome to Hell' tifo for Manchester United ahead of their Champions League clash.

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United face Galatasaray in IstanbulHome fans put on awesome displayThrowback to clash 30 years agoWHAT HAPPENED?

The two teams walked out onto the field at Rams Park on Wednesday to the awesome display in the stands. Fans made the image of a lion's face on one end, with a message saying "Welcome to Hell" in the middle stand.

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The message is a reference to a heated clash between Galatasaray and United 30 years ago. The Red Devils travelled to Istanbul for the second leg of their Champions League second round tie in 1993 and were met with a wild atmosphere, with fans holding up banners that read "Welcome to Hell". United needed a win but were held to a goalless draw and crashed out of the competition.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

United must do on Wednesday what they failed to do 30 years ago – get a win against the Istanbul giants. The Red Devils were bottom of the group heading into the clash in Turkey, with Galatasaray and Copenhagen sitting a point ahead of them.

A blistering innings of 72 from 44 balls from South African opener Lizelle Lee set up Surrey Stars’ fourth win in four games

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2017Surrey Stars 169 for 6 (Lee 72, Kapp 48, Nicholas 3-20) beat Western Storm 117 (Sciver 3-11, Hartley 3-28) by 52 runsLizelle Lee hit a boundary-studded 72 off 44 balls•Getty ImagesA blistering innings of 72 from 44 balls from South African opener Lizelle Lee set up Surrey Stars’ fourth win in four games of the 2017 Kia Super League, and secured their place in Finals Day at Hove on September 1.Lee hit seven fours and six huge sixes against Western Storm, which helped guide Surrey to a formidable total of 169 for 6 from their 20 overs in front of a crowd of around 1,000 at the Kia Oval.Stars did not have things all their own way early on, however, as they lost the toss and were invited to bat, then saw England international Tammy Beaumont dismissed by the first ball of the innings. She was lbw to Claire Nicholas’ spin.That did not perturb Lee, who proceeded to put on 103 for the second wicket with fellow South African Marizanne Kapp. Lee lap-swept and cut powerfully before being dropped on 31 at midwicket off the bowling of Stafanie Taylor, who she then swept for two sixes.Lee also got after England and Storm captain Heather Knight, hitting her for three sixes in an over before cutting straight to cover-point. That brought captain Nat Sciver to the crease, and she hit six fours in a hard-hitting cameo of 30 from 18 balls before being caught at long-on off Nicholas.There were a flurry of wickets at the end of Surrey’s innings, with Nicholas also dismissing Kapp for 48 to finish with 3 for 20.In the face of such a formidable total last year’s finalists never really got going, with Kapp trapping England pair Knight and Fran Wilson with consecutive balls in her second over. Rachel Priest looked dangerous before she, like Taylor, fell to Sciver, who is the tournament’s leading wicket taker with 10.With their high-class top four gone, the job was left to Storm’s youngsters. Sophie Luff was caught at cover off Alex Hartley, but some resourceful hitting from Georgia Hennessey and Alice Macleod saw them share 59.But they fell in consecutive overs to the spin of Laura Marsh and Hartley, bringing about a collapse of four wickets for six runs. Sciver returned to bowl the final over, having Holly Huddleston caught at long-on to secure at 52-run victory as Storm were bowled out for 117.

Karim Benzema appears to have deleted his Instagram account after Al-Ittihad were thumped 5-2 by Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr.

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Al-Ittihad thumped by Al-NassrBenzema failed to scoreInstagram account has disappearedWHAT HAPPENED?

Al-Ittihad were thumped 5-2 by Al-Nassr, with Ronaldo scoring a brace of penalties, Sadio Mane also scoring twice, and Anderson Talisca on the scoresheet as well. Benzema did provide an assist in the game, but he has only scored once in his last four outings, with Al-Ittihad only winning one, and slipping to sixth in the Saudi Pro League as a result. The former Real Madrid ace has now seemingly purged his Instagram account.

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Benzema's page on the photo-sharing website had 76 million followers, but it has now either been suspended or deleted – as per . In terms of footballers, only Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe have more followers than the 36-year-old.

DID YOU KNOW?

Benzema has made a total of 20 appearances for Al-Ittihad and has scored 12 goals. He has yet to win any silverware with the Saudi club, as they were eliminated from the Club World Cup at the second round stage by Al-Ahly, although they remain in both the AFC Champions League and the King's Cup.

The Saudi media has also criticised Benzema on a regular basis. One of the country’s most popular sports journalists, Walid Al-Faraj, recently singled out the 36-year-old on his platform Acton Avec Walid, stating: "The gap between Benzema and the public is growing day by day. He never managed to make a difference. And above all, he doesn't make any effort. It’s as if he's saying to the audience: ‘I'm just having fun with you.’

“When Ronaldo arrived in January, he showed signs he wanted to play, but Benzema has offered nothing. It's like the team doesn't like him. He is uncomfortable. I don't know the reason.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BENZEMA?

Benzema's move to Al-Ittihad has seen a flurry of goals but the team have yet to truly catch fire with the Real Madrid legend leading the line and are now 22 points behind leaders Al-Hilal. They are next in action against Al-Tai on Saturday.

Former Bayern Munich player Dietmar Hamann praised Harry Kane after he scored his 24th league goal over the weekend.

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Hamann hails Kane Has scored 24 goals in Bundesliga this season Bayern take on Leverkusen next in BundesligaWHAT HAPPENED?

Hamann, who played for Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Manchester City, hailed Harry Kane for his contribution to his team who are not playing well as a unit this season. The England international recently equalled Luca Toni's 17-year-old club record of scoring 24 Bundesliga goals in his maiden season and is now on his way to breaking Robert Lewandowski's 41 league goals record in a single campaign.

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Speaking to , the former Germany international said, "They’re not playing well but it just goes to show how good he is. He probably touches the ball 20, or 25 times and he probably scores with every third or fourth touch. He’s settled and he’s a breath of fresh air. To have the England captain in Germany is a huge thing and he’s so humble and so likable. I think for the club and the league it’s been a blessing to have him."

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The 30-year-old left Tottenham Hotspur to join the reigning Bundesliga champions in pursuit of trophies, although his maiden season in Germany started on a rocky note as Bayern lost in the DFL Super Cup final to RB Leipzig and were then ousted from the DFB Pokal in the second round. They are currently two points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen and have reached the round of 16 of the Champions League.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

Thomas Tuchel's side will now prepare to face Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen in a crucial league fixture on Saturday.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-20171. Statement in support of cricket
Players resolved first and foremost to express their highest respect for the game of cricket and its fans, and for the great honour of being a professional cricketer in Australia. Players expressed their desire to be on the field playing the game they love, interacting with the fans and supporters of cricket and representing their states and countries as soon as possible.2. Response to the behaviour of CA: players will support their team-mates
Australia’s male and female cricketers expressed disappointment at the conduct of CA during the MoU negotiations. And were concerned that 20 years of good faith partnership had been disrespected and disregarded by CA. The players noted with great pride that the efforts by CA to divide them has had the opposite effect. That across domestic and international lines and between men and women, resolve and unity had grown even stronger. And that for CA to have thought otherwise was to misunderstand what it means to be a member of a team as an Australian cricket player.3. Fair remuneration
Not all players reach the top level of cricket. If they do, players have a relatively short career at that level. As such it was important for all players, men and women, domestic and international to be fairly remunerated for their efforts. The Executive noted in relation to CA’s March offer, that with the removal of accounting tricks and with more realistic assumptions, the overall funding to the players is significantly less than how it has been presented to the players.4. Players to stay united as a matter of principle
The players have resolved that, unless contractually obliged, no male or female players intend to play for a Cricket Australia (CA) team whilst fellow players remain unemployed due to the absence of an MoU. This is an outright rejection of CA’s attempts to divide and rule. It is a resolution which will be revisited at the next and subsequent ACA Executive meetings, since the players remain hopeful that common sense will prevail and a new MoU can still be agreed on fair terms.In terms of contractual obligation:The Executive noted that all players with valid and enforceable contracts (such as multi-year State or BBL deals) will continue to honour them, and will expect their employers to do the same. This includes an expectation of the players sharing in revenue as contained in those contracts. If this is not honoured by their employer, then the enforceability of these contracts will also become questionable.The Executive noted legal advice that a State Player may “accept” or reject an offer to participate on a Tour with CA, such as the proposed Australia A Tour of South Africa.Australia’s Women’s World Cup Squad will continue and complete their Tournament as they agreed to do in good faith prior to the expiration of the MOU. The ACA wished them the best in their endeavours.5. Upcoming Australia A Tour of South Africa by CA
All Australian professional cricketers are not obliged to and are unavailable to Tour South Africa as a part of the Australia A team without an agreed MoU. This decision has been made consistent with resolution 4 above that, unless contractually obliged, no player intends to Tour for a Cricket Australia team whilst others are unemployed courtesy of the expired MOU. And is done in possession of legal advice examining the MOU and mandated player contracts that:The players cannot be contractually required by CA to participate and play in an international Tour, including the Proposed Australia A Tour, beyond 30 June 2017 because:
(a) in the case of CA Contracted Players, their contracts with and obligations to CA will all have expired on 30 June 2017.
(b) in the case of the more than 50% of State Contracted Players, their contracts with and obligations to CA (and their State Associations) will have expired on 30 June 2017.
(c) in the case of the remaining State Contracted Players on multi-year contracts extending beyond 30 June 2017, their State Player Contracts and the MOU acknowledge that a player can either ‘accept’ an offer by CA to Tour or not; there is no compulsion to do so. Also for the period beyond 30 June 2017 there are many important issues that are not agreed in the State Player contract, such as the form of Tour Contract that would apply if no MOU is in place, the applicable Squad, Team and Tour Payments and any applicable list of CA protected sponsors.This decision not to Tour in the absence of a renewed MoU has been discussed and endorsed by the Australia A squad in solidarity. The Australia A squad wishes to represent Australia, and is willing to give CA another opportunity. They will gather in Brisbane on Monday to prepare for the Tour, in a gesture of the players’ continued good faith and in hope that CA will reciprocate by agreeing an MOU on fair terms as soon as possible.6. Tours of Bangladesh and India
Players expressed a strong desire to Tour both Bangladesh and India and urged CA to support them by renewing an MoU on fair terms, allowing the Tours to proceed.However, due to the fact of unemployment and the resolution above, absent an MoU there are no professional cricketers presently obliged or available to Tour.7. The Summer of Cricket
All players expressed a strong desire to participate in the Australian Summer of Cricket and urged CA to support them by renewing an MoU on fair terms so the Summer can proceed.8. Rescuing tours and the Summer of Cricket should there be no MOU: the Employment rights of players
To rescue the Tours and the Summer of Cricket referenced above, if there was no agreed MoU, the ACA will be discussing with the players the assignment to the ACA of an exclusive option to employ or second them.’In contract’ players will also participate in the discussion regarding assigning rights to the ACA to allow them to Tour. This means the ACA could offer to facilitate the availability of players on the right terms to assist those games and series that we all wish to see played.This may extend to the ACA offering the players back to CA on the right terms for the purposes of rescuing the Summer of Cricket. This would be best achieved by an agreed MOU.This option is available to the ACA and could be exercised absent an agreed MOU.It should be regarded as an option for rescuing tours and the Summer of Cricket absent an agreed MOU which remains the clear preference.9. Restraint of Trade
Players have resolved to support any out-of-contract players who are restrained from post-employment professional cricket opportunities. This would apply to any refusal to provide an out-of-contract player with a No Objection Certificate (NOC).It would also apply to any threat to lock players out of future employment opportunities if they engage in an ‘exhibition game’ to raise money for their unemployed team-mates.10. Intellectual Property of the players and The Cricketers’ Brand
The ACA Executive noted that with the passage of the June 30 deadline The Cricketers’ Brand was now looking to sign Sponsorships and arrange Player Appearances on behalf of Australia’s greatest players, now unemployed, and in consultation with player agents.The Cricketers’ Brand has been given approval to work with agents to commence the process of signing Sponsors and to deal with Broadcasters wanting to use these players’ attributes.*Those State players with multi-year State Playing Contracts will continue to honour those agreements, including to attend player Appearances as directed.**CA retains some rights to use out of contract players’ attributes for game promotion and development.11. WaMCAP (Women and Men Cricketer Assistance Plan) funding distribution to players in need
The ACA Executive approved the making of payments to players who need financial assistance from the WaMCAP fund.12. Revenue sharing for all men and women who play professional cricket
The players have affirmed their commitment to all male and female players at both international and domestic level receiving a ‘fair share’ of the revenue they generate for the game. And again, expressed a willingness to make sensible changes to the current model to reach agreement.13. Mediation is still the right process
The players affirm their view that third party mediation at CEO level remains the right process to resolve the current impasse.14. Grassroots Cricket Investment
The ACA Executive continued its call for a review into the current under investment in grassroots cricket and for recommendations to be developed for increasing grassroots investment.And noted that the current level of underinvestment seemed incompatible with the CA decisions to:
– Almost double the number of CA employees over the last five years;
– Grow CA cash reserves to the current level of approximately $70 million; whilst
– Allowing grassroots investment to stagnate at the level of only approximately 12% of revenues.