Cairns and Snedden front the media after player contract dispute is settled

Normalcy returned to the New Zealand cricket scene today when the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) reached agreement on the terms by which players could make themselves available for all cricket over the next four years.

It has been six days since NZC told the NZCPA that the time for negotiation had ended and withdrew from discussions leaving the season hanging in the balance.

But within only a few days, with talk of player pressure mounting on younger players not to make themselves available for warm-up games being played around the country, it became apparent that matters had clearly got out of control.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and senior player Chris Cairns were among others who had decided that the players' silence in the negotiations had gone on for long enough.

The resolution came $100,000 dearer than the last offer made by NZC which was rejected by the Players' Association before NZC withdrew from negotiations.

There had also been some tweaking within the player payment pool and the number of players to be contracted to the six local associations will be increased from the 10 offered to 11 in each association.

"It marks the end of what has been a difficult negotiation process but now we are in a position to move on," NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said today.

Snedden said the $5.1million figure was sustainable but there was a bit of hard work to be done to achieve that over a four-year period but he was confident NZC could do that.

He was also confident a good working relationship could be developed between the two parties and there were a number of positions that would emerge as the relationship bedded itself down.

Snedden said he was now looking forward to the start of the State domestic season and the arrival of the Indians for the National Bank tour.

Snedden said the apparent impasse between the two sides began to crack when the opportunity arose for him to have a chance to talk directly to New Zealand captain Fleming and other senior players.

It was something he had hoped to have an opportunity to do earlier.

Once talking began a resolution was achieved quite quickly, he said.

Snedden said that stories suggesting he and Fleming had not talked for four months were wrong. They had been in contact on issues but not on matters related to the negotiations.

Fleming sought contact with Snedden last week for an opportunity to talk. That was arranged and discussions began.

Cairns attended today's press conference and said there had been a lot of issues and a lot of emotive things said but he was happy to see NZC acknowledge the existence and role of the Players' Association.

Cairns said that once the negotiation process stalled the players, "in all of our hearts" wanted a resolution.

He became involved when he felt he could make a contribution to the process but said there had been a lot of minds involved in the players' final stance, including the representatives of all the players in the six associations.

The whole process had a benefit in uniting the players and Cairns felt something very special could emerge for the benefit of New Zealand cricket overall, and in the domestic game.

The settlement achieved was best put to him by Canterbury captain Gary Stead who said to him that he now had a viable career option that could allow him to play another four or five years.

Cairns said the situation was so attractive that some players who had decided to opt out of first-class cricket might well be enticed to come back.

The reaction of the general public which came down mainly on the side of NZC in the debate had shown Cairns just how passionate people were about cricket and, whether the opinions they expressed were good or bad, it had shown how much New Zealanders appreciated their summer sport.

In a press release, the Players' Association spokesman Rob Nichol said: "This document will form the basis of a final agreement which will cover the terms and conditions for New Zealand's first-class domestic and international players".

"It ensures the recognition of the Players' Association and provides the basis for a positive working relationship with New Zealand Cricket and the Major Associations moving forward."

"The players are very pleased with what has been agreed and are looking forward to resuming all cricketing duties as soon as possible."

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