Australia's top cricketers will only consider accepting tour-by-tour contracts if they see progress in the pay dispute this week.
Informal negotiations between the Australian Cricketers Association and Cricket Australia will continue but there has been no movement to date, with CA unwilling to bend on its bid to overhaul the set-percentage pay model.
A major sticking point for CA is the players want their fixed percentage, of 22.5 per cent, to come from revenue before costs. CA argues that is economically unviable. If there was a breakthrough in this area, discussions could develop more quickly.
CA chief James Sutherland is in England this week for meetings with fellow International Cricket Council chiefs where a revamped playing schedule for Tests and one-day internationals is the major discussion point.
It's understood he met with Australian players informally after they lost to England in the Champions Trophy at Edgbaston on Saturday.
This leaves Kevin Roberts to continue to spearhead CA's discussions. Roberts again angered players and the ACA last week with his video sent directly to players arguing why CA's submission should be accepted - a plan players rejected six months ago.
The ACA wants players at state and international level to continue to share in the model used since 1997. CA only wants international players to do so, and only for surplus funds. Grassroots cricket, and how much should be spent on it, has also become a battleground, at a time when CA argues it cannot predict what its earnings will be over the next five years because of moving sponsorship and broadcast rights deals.
The ACA says independent analysis shows revenue of more than $2.5 billion will be poured into the game over the next five years. Player pay will account for about $500 million of this.
If even a basic understanding between the players and CA is not reached by June 30, contingency plans for an Australia A tour of South Africa next month and the Test tour of Bangladesh in August will have to be raised.
As Fairfax Media has reported, players could be offered tour-by-tour contracts. CA would have to agree to not lock the players out come July 1. But for this to be agreed upon, it's understood players want progress to be made this week in talks, for they argue they have been willing to be "flexible".
Australian coach Darren Lehmann said he's planning to be on the plane to Dhaka for the two Test series despite the uncertainty.
"You have to [prepare] as a coach. You can't just stop," Lehmann said.
"We're really getting ready for Bangladesh. That's all we can do. The rest of it will look after itself, I am sure."
Lehmann confirmed there was ongoing chatter in the squad about the situation, but said it had nothing to do with the side's early exit from the Champions Trophy.
"That's going on behind the scenes obviously and probably can come to the forefront now," he said.
"It's always there. It's always in the room, it's always going to be talked about. But, from a playing point of view, you are out there, you are surely not thinking about the MOU when you are batting or bowling.
"So, I wouldn't think that would have affected the players' performance at all."
- with AAP
