Three states have called a crisis meeting with Cricket Australia and players are scrambling for answers after the stunning decision to sell one of the Big Bash League licences to a private entity.
Cricket Victoria dropped a bombshell on the game on Tuesday night by announcing the end of the Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades, instead merging them into one team and selling off the other licence.
A Big Bash League match between the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades. nna\sworthington
It’s left Australia’s Twenty20 competition in a state of shock and uncertainty and many left wondering what the future of the game looks like.
The move even caught rival states off guard, with New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia contacting one another on Wednesday to dissect the news.
Those three states demanded a meeting with Cricket Australia which will reportedly happen on Thursday.
ESPNcricinfo reports Cricket NSW was “angered” by the news on Tuesday night.
NSW hierarchy were also reportedly upset at being left out of an executives trip to India that involved Cricket Australia, Victoria, Western Australia, and Tasmania.
The BBL looks set to begin next season with a match in India. It’s believed Victoria’s second BBL licence could be sold to private Indian investors, as happens in the Indian Premier League.
The Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) says players were also stunned by the merger news this week.
“There has been much recent discussion around privatising the Big Bash League clubs,” ACA boss Paul Marsh said in a statement on Wednesday.
“This is a significant decision for Australian cricket and one that the Australian Cricketers’ Association believes must be made with the long-term, broader interests of the game in mind.
“As it stands, Australian cricket is not unified on a way forward and as a result, we are a long way off a solution.
“Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Cricket Australia (CA), the States and the ACA, it is clear that agreement must be reached with the ACA for any Big Bash clubs to be privatised. Whilst a potential agreement between CA and the ACA is being discussed, it is not imminent and as such, any talk of privatising any teams for the coming season is premature.
“Cricket Victoria’s announcement about a merger between the Stars and Renegades with the introduction of a new, privately owned club has created confusion, uncertainty and anxiety amongst players. Whilst this may or may not happen at some point in the future, we reiterate that there is a process to play out here before this can occur.
“The ACA believes now is the critical juncture for all in Australian cricket to come together to find the best model for the future of all stakeholders in our game.”
Cricket Victoria reportedly contacted players on Wednesday to ensure them existing contracts will not be altered or cancelled, despite two teams effectively merging into one.
Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg on Wednesday insisted no decision has been finalised about the second Victorian licence.