“We’re here to play cricket and try and win this tournament”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has said that the ongoing pay dispute between the players and Cricket Australia won’t affect the national team when they take part in the Champions Trophy in England next month.
With the issue centred around the current revenue-sharing payment model, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) have locked horns, but there has yet to be a breakthrough in the impasse.
The board wants the players to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding by June 30. Should this fail to happen, they will not pay any player from that point on.
Opener and Test vice-captain David Warner revealed that Australia “might not have a team for the Ashes” and could also turn to domestic Twenty20 tournaments as a way to earn money.
Head coach Darren Lehmann, meanwhile, admitted that the ongoing dispute is likely to be a huge distraction for the players during the Champions Trophy.
However, Stoinis believes otherwise, saying: “It’s not really been talked about, it is what it is. This kind of stuff happens when the MOU is up and we’ve got the ACA looking at that on our behalf.
“Hopefully it doesn’t get to that stage [where we go on strike], nobody wants to see that happen. I don’t think it will happen … but we’ll see. We’re here to play cricket and try and win this tournament.”
Stoinis had to cut his Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with the Kings XI Punjab short after injuring his shoulder while training.
But, despite damaging his AC joint, the 27-year-old confirmed that he has made a full recovery.
“Initially they said I would be four to six weeks in a sling but that changed pretty quickly when I got home,” he said. “But it’s all been good news since then. The doctors and medical team are happy. That’s half the thing with an injury, your mind goes to what you might miss out on.
“I am really looking forward to this opportunity again. You don’t get many with the Australia team and hopefully I can keep my place and contribute.”
Meanwhile, Stoinis also conceded that he wants to see Australia use their pace quartet of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and James Pattinson during the Champions Trophy.
“It’s an exciting time for Australian cricket,” he said. “Patto (Pattinson) is back and been bowling really well in county cricket by all reports. Having the big four quicks together will be a scary attack.
“I had a hit against Starcy and Hoff (Hazlewood) back in Brisbane and they were bowling nice and quick.”