KEY POINTS:
It's time to step out of the concrete bunkers, strip off the bullet-proof vests and store away the gasmasks. Yes, we kid you not - New Zealand Cricket and the Players Association have agreed on terms.
The last time the two parties came together, it took the country's first players' strike, several bouts of mediation, daily mud-slinging and a season-threatening stand-off before a four-year deal was hammered out.
By that stage, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming had fallen out with chief executive Martin Snedden, Players' Association chief executive Heath Mills had been forced to distance himself from negotiations, and a rift had formed between Chris Cairns and some of his teammates.
This time, however, a memorandum of understanding has been settled without so much as a body-count being required, suggesting the one-time adversaries are now sharing a more amicable relationship.
The new deal will see the player payment pool increased from 22.9 per cent of NZC's forecast revenue to 25 per cent, a boost in the number of players contracted by major associations from 11 to 12, and the funding of a players' personal development programme.
Mills last night hailed the agreement, saying he was particularly pleased with the creation of the personal development programme, essentially a careers initiative aimed at helping players with life after cricket.
The Players Association has employed Aiden Hobson to manage the programme.
Mills said Hobson had already canvassed most representative players and would help in offering access points for tertiary programmes and other career development opportunities.
"We're delighted with the outcome of the talks," Mills said.
"The development programme is a significant step forward for representative players in New Zealand, and the increased player payment pool is also a very good result."
The increased percentage is doubly good for the Players Association because not only will they receive a bigger share of NZC's revenue pie, but the pie will also be bigger.
Mills said NZC's forecast revenue for the four years until May 2010 was $97.3 million, up from $88.9 million in the previous four-year period.
The increase would mean a 19 per cent a year increase for the players.
In turn, that would push the top payment bracket for NZC's 20 contracted players from $120,000 to $128,000, and increase the minimum contract amount from $40,000 to $48,000.
Major association players will vie for six-month contracts of between $12,000 and $24,000.
NZC chief executive Snedden said he was pleased not only the agreement, but also with the manner in which the two parties had grown together.
"The negotiations were positive and constructive.
"We've formed a solid partnership with the NZCPA in the past four years and I expect that relationship will become even stronger during the term of the new contract."
