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Monday 6th March, 2006 11 s rumours, Yahaluweni, flat rate there are also Test and have a bad habit of obfus- limited overs international Acating the truth, paying appearance fees as well as extra too much attention to so-called bonuses for those with 100 Test stories carries with it a danger or 300 LOIs as well as win and of hiding the facts. loss bonuses. But this particular rumour The system needs a serious has more substance and is with- overhaul; negotiations transpar- out a hidden agenda. It is about ent and a look at what lies what the players in the national beyond next year’s Caribbean squad are likely earn over the World Cup carnival. This at least next 12 months. That is to the would give the next generation end of the 2007 World Cup in the of players a chance to prove Caribbean. themselves. It is where a provin- As most of the top players cial franchise system, similar to here draw a handsome salary that in South Africa, is needed. and a few perks that go with it, As Sidat Wettimuny explained they are among the best paid during a recent interview, ‘It is sportsmen in South Asia. This is an identity factor. If you don’t as it should be. And despite often have an identity there is no unfair criticism, there are a lot belonging. If there is no sense of of guys who are all too keen to belonging you are not going to sacrifice hours away from fami- play the game in the right place.’ ly and a so-called real profession How right he is. to play for their country. In this case, to offer someone It is where talent and person- US$15,000 a year when he plays a al ambition along with taking major role in winning a Test or pride in what they do that needs two and a couple of limited to be looked at as well as long- overs matches is an insult. term future and what lies An evaluation committee is beyond. It is ‘what comes after needed to look at such matters; retirement’ question that also five drawn from a field of former needs to be taken into serious Test captains, team managers consideration. Pay package and the selection panel convener Herb Elliott was a particular- acting as an advisor with recom- ly fine Australian 800 and 1500 mendation. It is when you get metres athlete in his day with too many chiefs involved that Olympic and Commonwealth the messy horse-trading deals gold medals and world track take place and lower the tone of records begging to be knocked the negotiations. over one day by someone better. deals need Hopefully, those working out He had not been beaten in an Russel Arnold was surprisingly left out when Sri Lanka Cricket announced its con- the sums get the packages and event since he was 14. Yet at 22 tracted players last year. Will he receive the same treatment this time too? the names right. he quit. ‘How do you,’ he was century (or stitching together a package and should have been At least the future for some- asked in a particular television fighting half century in such seriously reprimanded. But let one as the lanky Farveez show, ‘at such a young age, stop circumstances), negates the us move on. Maharoof is looking brighter. the rest of your life being an genuine skills of whoever is involved. In Is there anyone out there who Give this hard-working all- anti-climax?’ this sense, where matches are knows, or understands what rounder a level of responsibility It was a seriously fair ques- lost, individual efforts are sports employment law con- and he will answer the chal- tion and one that those holding ignored because the team lost. tains? Is there such an animal in lenge. Injury hampered his the purse strings in Maitland The tighter the game the the nation’s convoluted sports efforts during the India tour and Place also need to look at when harder the effort of the players. law? The answer to this query he didn’t play a role in the VB they draw up a list of candidates No one likes to lose. Pressure? met with an evasive ‘what’ excla- Series. It was serious frustration for the 2006/07 national players’ negotiators Hype? These are metaphorical mation. This being the case, how for this highly talented young- contracts. Rumours floating media driven words; comments can fair negotiations be made on ster. around leafy Colombo 7 corri- designed to titillate behalf of players in Bangladesh Hopefully, he is now going to dors and in far off Bogra objected to such crooked deals. He had an spectators suppos- and those sitting at home with- be given a chance to develop his (Bangladesh) suggest it is being When pay negotiations were assessment edly involved in the out fair arbitration or represen- talents at seven in the order. done this week – maybe during made the subject of the Mumbai panel of eight pile of disgusting tation? Or those hoping for a This has been urged more than the second Test. offer was leaked and while former top play- clichés tabloid writ- deal as the national side gears once in these notes and as one of Elliot’s reply was ‘Do a bit of administrators declined to ers who were ers use; chewed fin- towards CWC07 in the the new generation players and coaching but mainly at this age acknowledge it existed, it was expert in top gernails, cliff-hang- Caribbean, where more all- one oozing talent, Maharoof ’s it is about finding a new chal- used as a lever to revamp the corporate fields er, edge of the seat rounders are going to be added maiden Test half-century did lenge and get on with life’. It is system. It led to monthly pay to look at the stuff; and so on... to the list. what had always been expected easier for some than others. level packages (not yearly deals whole provin- Yuck. Whispers are that the senior of a young man with a mission. Placing price-tags on a play- as seems to be done here), cial structure These days the group are on US$60,000. Anyway, why bother hiring ers’ ability though is not, objec- worked out to aid a player (and and make rec- most organised pay Frankly, that is US$20,000 too cable TV when a nine-hour sup- tively, the best way to look at a his family) needs. ommendations. package negotiated low. The top structure should ply power cut in this part of the players’ worth. It is a pretty It was also where for a time From this, the deals come out of start at US$80, 000 with other universe prevented watching the demeaning tactic; like going bar- hidden politics played a role and formula for bet- England, Australia, levels scaled down in categories side wrap up their victory in gain house hunting to get the where the system became rid- ter negotiated Chittagong. Having learnt not to by Trevor Chesterfield New Zealand, South of US$10,000. The example of best deal. In this, selectors have dled with flaws. Instead of look- professional Africa and now what is happening in other coun- rely on the edited version of too much say. Sure, they can put ing at a player as a skilled enter- deals were India. They have tries needs more careful exami- Channel Eye’s highlights to give forward recommendations and tainer on a giant open air stage, devised and improved. It was not men who have played the game nation. Better pay for players you an idea of how victory was make suggestions, but how they looked at other areas; that the horse-trading system of old, and are expert in financial fields will keep them working harder achieved as they are as shoddy many hidden agendas are there of not having the right back- but a structured player-perform- involving human resources and and the intensity of competition as the rest of their dysfunctional in this line of thought? ground (or school). Little won- ance related system. upliftment. And this is what is for places in the side will have programming, it was a matter of They did away with this style der it lost credibility and the There is a flat monthly fee. important in the bigger picture. an extra edge. a 24 hour wait for a better pro- of demeaning horse-trading in players rejected the concept. Next are the bonus fees; for lim- Sport is about individual human Private enquiries showed that duced cable version. South Africa after a players’ Richardson, a trained lawyer, ited overs – this is based on effort and revolves around what the levels are US$60,000 (six At least the switch-on was in revolt in the mid-1990s, about the former Test wicketkeeper and wickets, runs, economy rates, is a common denominator; players), US$25,000 (three play- time to see Saf put Australia, time that Hansie Cronje and the now in charge of ICC Cricket strike rates and then a win human resources. ers) and US$15,000 (two players). with Ricky Ponting still absent team were in Mumbai and Operations was a shrewd nego- bonus addition. As limited overs Take the example of Russel Just why there is such a large along with Andrew Symonds in offered a lump $250,000 to throw tiator for the players.

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