The Australian Cricket Association has called off Australia A's upcoming tour of South Africa due to the current pay dispute.
The Age journalist Daniel Cherny reported the news on Thursday morning, given Australian cricketers are now unemployed following the June 30 deadline.
The 19-man Australia A squad will not tour South Africa, in a series that was scheduled to include two four-day matches and five one-day matches from July 12 to August 8.
The ACA released the following statement.
"It is with great frustration that with no progress towards resolving the current dispute, Australia A players confirm they will not tour South Africa," the statement began.
"This decision is made in support of more than 200 male and female players who are now unemployed, and is consistent with Sunday’s ACA Executive meeting resolutions.
"By making this call, the Australia A players have sacrificed their own ambitions for the collective; an incredibly selfless act that shows their strength and overall commitment to the group.
"All players are deeply disappointed at the behaviour of CA which forces this course of action, given the players would rather be playing for their country.
"CA refuse to attend mediation or offer any genuine flexibility in the MOU negotiations.
"And without mediation it’s hard to see how there can be the progress necessary to reach agreement.
"The players want to make sure all men and women who play the game are treated fairly, and that grassroots funding is not drained by a top-heavy bureaucracy.
"The ACA again calls on common sense to prevail and for the CA CEO to attend mediation.
"The ACA sits at the table awaiting CA’s genuine participation.
"Sunday’s resolutions are:
4. 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.
5. 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."
