Photo: ICC



New Delhi: Cricket Australia is on the verge of agreeing term with players union, ending a long dispute and avoiding a need of arbitration. However, skipper Steve Smith has again warned the association that players wouldn’t go ahead until the deal is struck.



Top 230 Australian players have been unemployed when the 5-year contract expired on June 30 and Australia A’s tour to South Africa has already fallen victim to the lockout.



"A deal hasn't been done just yet," Smith told Fox Sports Australia late Tuesday. "There's still a few things that need to be finalised, some key elements.



"They've been making some really good progress and hopefully they'll continue to make progress."



But Steve Smith said a deal would have to struck before the team boards a flight to Bangladesh.



"I'd like to (tour Bangladesh), but as we've said for a long time we need to get a deal done first."



CA chief James Sutherland warned last week that unless the drawn-out negotiations over a revenue-sharing deal produced a compromise by early this week, he would take the matter to arbitration and let the industrial umpire resolve it.



This sparked new urgency to strike a deal, with talks continuing over the weekend.



Players have been paid from gross revenue for the past two decades, but CA wants their pay to come from a set pool instead, with only surplus revenue shared.



The Australian newspaper reported Wednesday that barring last-minute stumbling blocks, the players would largely retain the previous model, which they have insisted is non-negotiable.



But even if the disagreement is resolved, former captain Michael Clarke said on Sunday he feared things would never be the same between CA and the players.



Vice-captain David Warner has been particularly outspoken in the push to keep the 20-year revenue-sharing arrangement. But Smith insisted the batsman had nothing to fear regarding potential retribution from Howard and Sutherland.



"No, I think he'll be okay," Smith said. "Obviously he's been very vocal and he's supported the Australian Cricketers' Association through this whole thing and he's been great."