In a generous gesture, Cricket Australia has offered to pay its struggling pace bowler Shaun Tait his retainer and match fees, which will cost a big six-figure sum to the Board.
Australian Cricketers Association boss Paul Marsh has said CA was ready to pay Tait his entire deal, worth about $450,000 a season, so that he could recapture the fire and passion during his shock sabbatical, according to Australian media reports on Sunday.
Under section 9.2 of CA's player contract, which covers injury payments to players, the 24-year-bowler, who is on indefinite break from the game following "emotional and physical exhaustion", is entitled to full match payments for forthcoming Test and one-day matches, as he was a member of the most recent teams when he quit the game.
He is expected to pocket about $51,000 for the tri-nations one-day series that starts today in Brisbane. Should Australia be cleared to tour Pakistan next month before heading to the Caribbean, Tait is entitled to a maximum $107,100 for Test matches and $61,200 for one-day fixtures abroad.