The pay stoush between Cricket Australia and the players' union has entered new territory, with the latter seeking to help players directly negotiate sponsorship deals.
With the existing Memorandum of Understanding set to expire on June 30, the latest offensive from the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) suggests a new deal remains far from being struck.
Senior players have warned the summer Ashes series could be compromised if CA decline to meet their requests.
The ACA plans to establish a new business to manage players' intellectual property and marketing rights if a new deal cannot be reached before the deadline.
This would effectively allow potential sponsors and broadcasters to negotiate with players in the interim without going through CA, whose control of those rights fall under the current MoU.
ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson says the arrangement would provide greater certainty for players and sponsors in the event a new deal is not struck before June 30.
But Nicholson admits the rights would likely be renegotiated with CA under a new pay deal, meaning any potential new sponsorship arrangements could be short-lived.
"The key thing for us is we're really trying to get this deal done by June 30," he said on Wednesday.
"Ideally, we could get to a good common ground in regard to what intellectual property could be used by the sports to help the commercial partners but we haven't got to that discussion."
The key stumbling block between the two parties is the revenue-sharing model that governs players' wages - CA want it scrapped, while the ACA are adamant that can't and won't happen.
CA have rejected the ACA's request for a third-party mediator to be involved in pay talks, saying it was inappropriate when the ACA have refused to negotiate on the formal pay offer before them.
A spokesman also denied suggestions the players were being denied a share of digital media revenue generated by CA.
"CA has repeatedly explained to the ACA that there is no digital revenue, and their auditors have access to CA's books on a regular basis," the spokesman said.
"Cricket Australia remains ready and willing to begin negotiations and remains confident that an agreement can be reached once they begin.
"The only reason that these talks have not begun is because the ACA is insisting that certain pre-conditions be met. That goes against the basic principle of good-faith negotiations, and could not be used in any mediation."
Nicholson will meet with the Australian squad in London this week ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy and says he's confident his visit won't serve as a distraction.
"I've talked to the key players around how we manage that and the guys were really good about that ... we'll obviously do that the appropriate way," he said.
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