Coronavirus pushes Cricket Australia's contract announcement by a month

Cricket Australia's contract list announcement will be pushed back at least a month as the game prepares to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. Australia’s summer pastime has largely escaped the eye of the storm that has ripped apart the football codes like a hurricane, but with no end in sight to the global pandemic, pay cuts for the top cricketers cannot be ruled out. 

According to a report in 'Sydney Morning Herald', Cricket Australia had "planned to bring forward the announcement of contracts from May to April this year, in a bid to provide more certainty to the states given the flow-on effect." 

"But that plan has been put on hold for now until the end of April, given the economic uncertainty due to the pandemic. The Australian Cricketers' Association agreed to the move," the report further stated.

The coronavirus outbreak, which has so far claimed more than 30,000 lives globally, has brought all cricket activities to a halt with Australia calling off their domestic Sheffield Shield, besides cancelling the three-match ODI series against New Zealand after the first game.

Australia's upcoming tour of Bangladesh in June and England in July are also in doubt, given the circumstances. The T20 World Cup is also scheduled to be held in Australia in October, while India are slated for a tour Down Under to play four Tests, three ODIs and three T20I matches.