Nicholson resigns from cricket's player union
The Australian Cricketers Association will have a new chief fight the next pay battle after Alistair Nicholson confirmed his resignation on Monday.
Nicholson leaves after more than six years at the head of the players' union, having dealt with several emotional and significant issues, including the death of Phillip Hughes, the fall-out of the ball-tampering scandal and a ferocious fight over pay and conditions in a new five-year deal with Cricket Australia in 2017 which also led to an overhauled remuneration structure for female players.
Australian Cricketers' Association boss Alistair Nicholson has announced his resignation.Credit:Dominic Lorrimer
“I’ve been humbled to represent our player group and I’m very proud of what we have been able to achieve in my time at the ACA. I have had to deal with unprecedented issues in the game but always tried to maintain principles of fairness and equity, representing the players as we worked to advance the interests of the game at all times,” Nicholson said.
The ACA board will commence the process of recruiting a chief executive officer, with Nicholson to depart at the end of the year.
"I've been humbled to represent our player group and I'm very proud of what we have been able to achieve in my time at the ACA," Nicholson said.
"I have had to deal with unprecedented issues in the game but always tried to maintain principles of fairness and equity, representing the players as we worked to advance the interests of the game at all times.
"I step down with some sadness as I love the ACA and the game but I look forward to watching from afar and taking a break to enjoy a summer of watching cricket after a particularly demanding tenure, including most recently through COVID. The season ahead is now as well planned as possible and I have great confidence in the ACA team to steer through the years ahead.
"I leave knowing the ACA is well positioned to represent its members into the future and wish the ACA, staff, advisors, and all members the very best."
ACA Greg Dyer had nothing but praise for Nicholson when contacted by The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, recalling the bitter battle with CA in 2017 when the sport's governing body had attempted to terminate a 20-year fixed revenue model the players had supported.
Nicholson's successor will need to quickly get up to speed on the memorandum of understanding, with discussions expected to open next year.
“Under Alistair’s leadership we’ve become much more professional and developed our capability to provide a much-expanded service offering for the benefit of all of our members. We’re now positioned to participate strongly in the game’s future as an enormously respected contributor at all levels of Australian cricket,” Dyer said.
“Alistair has made an incredible personal contribution to these outcomes, working tirelessly through some very difficult moments for the sport. He should be rightly proud of the players’ participation in grassroots programmes, in cricket’s position as the leader in gender equity and in the continuing dividend which the revenue share partnership model delivers.”
Nicholson's imminent departure continues the major change in the top ranks of Australian cricket in recent years, for CA now has its third chief executive since the ball-tampering saga and its second chairman.
Jon Pierik is cricket writer for The Age. He also covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.
Chris Barrett is Chief Sports Reporter of The Sydney Morning Herald.