Arthur fires another salvo at Cricket Australia

Exasperated at his sudden removal, Mickey Arthur on Sunday said his unfair sacking was the result of a "deliberate campaign" against him but Cricket Australia has challenged his claim.

Arthur, who had been in South Africa after his unceremonious exit ahead of Ashes tour and sought compensation through legal means, returned to Australia and read out a statement before media.

He said his sacking was unfair as he was given a positive appraisal by Cricket Australia before the Ashes tour and that his removal has damaged his reputation.

"After my dismissal, I received nothing in writing from Cricket Australia, no contact, and no payment at all, not even of my basic leave pay, until I was forced to bring in lawyers to assist in the process," he read from a statement.

"I had tried on a number of occasions to make direct contact at a very senior level of Cricket Australia, for days there was just no response."

Cricket Australia though said it stands by its earlier statements on the matter and "disputes a number of claims made by Arthur today."

"We will not be articulating these disputes publicly except to say that we are confident in our legal position, are comfortable with the level of support provided to Mickey and look forward to resolving this matter in an appropriate manner," CA said.

Arthur reiterated that he did not leak his legal action against Cricket Australia to media and that he had hoped of a resolution through talks.

Arthur filed a Aus $4 million case to the Fair Work Commission for his sacking, which was leaked to media along with his claims of division in the Australian cricket team.

"Selective leaks by others have ruined my attempts to protect the Australian cricket team and everyone involved. As I've said, no one associated with me has played any part in releasing that confidential document," Arthur said.

"In spite of what has been a deliberate campaign against me in the past days, I am still willing to resolve this dispute on a fair and just basis."

Arthur claimed that CA chief executive James Sutherland had hinted that he had been made a scapegoat.

"The damage to my reputation and career has been immense, which means the chances of me getting a senior job are that much less. I was truly shocked and devastated by my dismissal.

"I had received a positive appraisal on all my key performance indicators just prior to departing for the Ashes tour," he said.

Arthur said CA was not happy with the indiscipline in the team and David Warner's late night bar brawl, in which his punched England batsman Joe Root, was "the last straw" for the CA Board.

"I received no hearing at all over that issue, and no one was doing more to improve discipline in the young Australian team than I was," he said.

Arthur though hoped that his conciliation talks with CA on Wednesday in Sydney would be productive.

Image: Mickey Arthur

Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images