ACA Initial Response to Cricket Australia Reviews

28 October, 2018

The Executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) will meet this evening to consider the Dr Simon Longstaff Review and Cricket Australia’s (CA) response.

ACA President Greg Dyer and Chief Executive Alistair Nicholson will hold a press conference tomorrow (Tuesday) to provide an initial response on behalf of Australia’s past and present, male and female professional cricketers.

Dyer said it was important for the ACA Executive to consider the report and CA’s response.

“This is a very important moment for cricket requiring a carefully considered response by the ACA,” Dyer said.

“The ACA submitted a detailed submission to the Longstaff Review.

“On behalf of our members who contributed so much time and effort, we need to make careful assessments before offering a full public response.

“There are a number of points however which are immediately clear.

“The first is that the Longstaff Review creates important opportunities for CA to improve its engagement and accountability to the game of cricket and general community.

“This is welcome and necessary news for cricket in Australia.

“In this regard the ACA acknowledges that our own recommendations to enhance engagement and accountability have largely been accepted.

“It’s also clear that many of CA’s behaviours which the ACA has confronted, have also been experienced by others both inside and outside of CA. This shows the ACA's experience has not been an isolated one.

“That these behaviours have been ‘named’ and processes for correction have been recommended by Dr Longstaff, is also important for the future of the administration of cricket.

“Given the importance of the recommendations we await further details of the engagement and implementation plan from CA, which should occur as a matter of priority.

​"We would also appreciate an opportunity to be briefed by Dr.Longstaff on his findings and recommendations," Dyer said.

The ACA also endorses the finding that CA must take some responsibility for the events in South Africa.

“The ACA submission to the Longstaff Review reasoned the events in South Africa were in part a by-product of a culture and system which, amongst other things, placed too much pressure on players to win," Dyer said.

“The findings of the Longstaff Report affirm this. This is extremely significant, as there is now independent verification that the system and culture were contributing factors.

“Given this, there must be a reconsideration of the harshness of the penalties handed down to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

“Basic fairness demands these independently verified contributing factors must now be taken into consideration and the penalties reduced.

In considering the Player Pact, ACA Chief Executive Alistair Nicholson praised Tim Paine, Josh Hazlewood, Meg Lanning and Rachael Haynes for their leadership within the Rick McCosker-led review.

“I commend the players for the honesty and commitment to this process.

“They have shown genuine leadership in forming the Player Pact and their role in living by these values.

“The players continue to take responsibility for the way they play the game and we applaud the work undertaken by Rick McCosker and the sub-committee.”

The ACA looks forward to making a full response to the Longstaff Report tomorrow.

© Australian Cricket Players Limited
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
The Australian Cricketers’ Association acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders both past and present.