From November 12-15 the professional cricketers international peak body, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations, will meet to discuss the future of the professional game.
When the rift was over, the Australia Cricket Board soon reverted to the master-servant relationship. There was no negotiated wage; you had to accept the “letter of invitation”. Literally, a written letter, to play each state and international match, which you could decline if the conditions were not to your liking.
A faux superannuation fund was established based on how many games were played. ODIs counted for a quarter of a Test match; Sheffield Shield games were assessed to be worth $40 a game, ie, 100 first-class games were worth $4000, before tax. For context, in the history of NSW Cricket, extending back to 1856, only six people have played 100 first-class games.
In the early 1980s there would have been a handful of cricketers in Australia who relied solely on the game for a living, and most of those would have incomes supplemented by sponsors and promotions. In the late 1970s, there were even fewer.