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ACA to brief ODI squad in London

Union boss to jet into London to brief Champions Trophy players as Smith declares 'we want to play the Ashes'

Australian Cricketers' Association boss Alistair Nicholson will liaise closely with players and coaching staff to minimise intrusion into the national team's Champions Trophy campaign when he arrives in London this weekend to update players on the ongoing MOU stalemate.

The current Memorandum of Understanding between Cricket Australia and all contracted men's and women's cricketers expires on June 30.

And in the absence of any meaningful negotiations to this point, CA has indicated that it will not consider alternative contract arrangements to pay players past that date if a new MOU is not agreed upon.

The ACA yesterday launched a new company , The Cricketers' Brand, that will assume commercial and managerial control over the intellectual property (IP) rights of players – including use of their image, name, voice and likeness for endorsements, promotions and media coverage – should an agreement not be reached and they become uncontracted.

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But both parties expressed confidence that an agreement could be reached before the deadline less than six weeks away, and Nicholson will fly to the UK this week to brief the men's ODI playing group whose Champions Trophy campaign formally begins against New Zealand in Birmingham on June 2.

Nicholson said he had remained in regular communication with senior players in the Australia squad, all of whom have signed or shown their preparedness to sign over control of their IP rights (currently held by CA under standard player contracts) to the new ACA entity should their employment lapse.

And he indicated he would work closely with the squad's support staff to ensure the simmering industrial relations stand-off does not bubble over and impact on the players' aspiration to lift the Champions Trophy, which Australia last won in 2009.

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"I've been in contact with the key players about how we balance their need to focus on winning the Champions Trophy, but also it's important that they are across this (MOU discussions)," Nicholson said.

"I've talked to the key players around how we manage that, and the guys are really good about it.

"They would actually prefer to know the information and be informed from the ACA face-to-face, so we'll do that the appropriate way and make sure the players and the coaching staff are happy."

In his first media conference as Australia captain since the MOU dispute escalated, Steve Smith reiterated that the player group remained fully supportive of the ACA's position and expressed his belief that the two parties would get a deal done and "everything will be okay for everyone involved".

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Smith also said he had seen recent comments from his vice-captain David Warner that CA "might not have a team for the Ashes" series in the coming home summer if agreement on a new MOU can't be reached and players opt to pursue careers with global domestic T20 competitions.

But he noted that the playing group was not actively considering an Ashes boycott, and he was confident that an amicable resolution would be reached and a new five-year MOU signed.

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"Of course we want to play in the Ashes, of course we want everything to go really well there," Smith told a media conference at Lord's in London yesterday.

"There is certainly nothing from us (players) where we don't want to play.

"We want to play in the Ashes, so hopefully they (both parties) get things resolved soon and we get back to normal.

"We are sticking really strong together. We are backing what the ACA is doing back home.

"They are working really hard with CA to get a deal right, and I'm sure in time they will get that and everything will be okay for everyone involved.

"There are obviously a few things going on back home, but for us it is about focusing on our job at hand and that's to compete in this Champions Trophy.

"These big tournaments only come around every couple of years and you want to win them.

"So, we are very much focussed on that."

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2017-18 International Fixtures:

Men's Ashes Series


First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets


Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets


Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Join the ACF


Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets


Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets


ODI Series v England


First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets


Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets


Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets


Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets


Fifth ODI WACA Ground, January 28. Join the ACF


Prime Minister's XI


PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets


T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series


First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets


Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets


Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets


Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14


Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16


Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18


Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21