tour had been "endorsed by the Australia A squad in solidarity".

Khawaja fronted the press on Sunday // Getty

A statement released by the ACA after that meeting confirmed that no professional cricketer intended to take part in a tour for a team chosen by CA while fellow players remained unemployed as a result of a new MOU not being agreed upon.

That included players who currently hold state-based multi-year contracts, as the terms of those deals state that a player can be invited but not compelled to accept an offer from CA to tour.

In the wake of the ACA's statement outlining the 14 resolutions adopted at the emergency meeting, CA issued a media release confirming it would not compel any player to represent Australia if they did not wish todo so.

"Australia A is a development tour which gives players an opportunity to perform at a high level," a CA spokesman said last Sunday.

"It is therefore surprising that players would elect not to tour, however CA has never, and would never attempt to force anyone to play for an Australian team who is unwilling to do so."

Khawaja, who along with allrounder Glenn Maxwell and fast bowlers Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers, Jason Behrendorff and Chris Tremain were expected to push their Test claims during the South Africa tour, claimed the decision not to tour in the absence of an MOU was vexed.

However, when the members of the 19-man touring party discussed the option of declining the invitation on a phone hook-up last Sunday, they all agreed to stand firm