Is this the man to get cricket back on track? | Sunday Observer

Is this the man to get cricket back on track?

16 July, 2017
Neil Maxwell
Neil Maxwell

Leading player agent Neil Maxwell has emerged as a potential white knight whose intervention has raised hopes of an impending resolution to Australian cricket’s damaging pay war.As more than 200 cricketers missed their first pay cheque on Friday, Fairfax Media can reveal Maxwell has become a central figure in high-level negotiations between players and Cricket Australia.While players are portraying James Sutherland’s decision to come to the table as a key to the breakthrough, it’s emerged Maxwell’s increased participation is also being seen as pivotal in helping both parties break a long deadlock.

It’s believed high-profile players, unsatisfied with the lack of progress, lobbied successfully last weekend for Maxwell to play a larger role in negotiations.Fairfax Media understands that Maxwell, who is part of the Australian Cricketers Association seven-person executive, was instrumental in setting up the meeting between both parties’ formal negotiating teams that took place Friday.

That meeting was going into Friday night with more time set aside for talks this weekend if required.Maxwell is believed to have been a key player in a series of talks which led to Friday’s high-powered meeting.

Maxwell’s meeting with CA’s chief negotiator Kevin Roberts on Monday led to the lengthy CEO-to-CEO discussions on Tuesday between Sutherland and Alistair Nicholson. 

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