Cricket was all but in crisis on Friday, as Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association remained at loggerheads over a new memorandum of understanding nine months into battle. The deadline for a new deal was midnight.

The key issue remains CA's determination to no longer have players share in the game's gross revenue. They have done so since the initial MOU in 1997 but CA says the sport can no longer prosper from this model, and is willing to only allow a percentage share of surplus funds.

CA's submission initially allowed only CA-contracted male and female players to share in surplus funds but last week opened this up to state-based players, and removed the initial combined cap of $20 million.

CA's projections have state-based players earning about $200,000 a season, with the top female cricketers to immediately rise to almost $200,000 - before surplus revenue share kicks in.

Players maintain this is still unacceptable and with the deadline for a new deal expiring, the sport has plunged into unchartered waters.

Hazlewood, ranked Australia's fourth most important player under CA's contract system, said CA's offer to state-based cricketers had been disrespectful.

"They always seem to point out the no crowds at Sheffield Shield cricket but they always leave out the Big Bash that draws in massive crowds every game," he said on Friday.

"The Australian cricket team aren't really a part of that to be honest. It's solely domestic players with, obviously, a couple of internationals in different teams. But they provide a great spectacle. That six weeks is just thriving with crowds ... I think they would feel disrespected, definitely."

Players are due to share in about $500 million over the next five years, with the average CA men's base contract to rise to more than $800,000 by 2021-22. 

The women's World Cup squad in England had signed a separate deal before leaving so those players will continue to be paid.

CA-contracted players and those state players on only one-year deals are due to receive their next payment on July 15 but that won't happen unless there is a major breakthrough.

The ACA will hold a crisis meeting in Sydney on Sunday where a decision will be made over whether the Australia A side should tour South Africa in July. The 14-man squad had been due to gather in Brisbane this weekend, with the opening match on July 14.

That tour was going to be a "bowl off" between Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers, Chris Tremain and Jason Behrendorff to replace Mitchell Starc and fill the vacant fast-bowling role for the August tour of Bangladesh.

If players opt to boycott the trip, those players would be denied their chance to push for Test selection - should the Bangladesh trip go ahead.

There would still be more than four months for an agreement between the ACA and CA to be reached before this summer's Ashes series.

Hazlewood said waking up effectively unemployed on Saturday was "going to be a different feel".

"To be contracted for the best part of 10 years, nearly for me, it's going to be a different stage and we'll see how it pans out," he said.

"It (pay negotiations) never got to this point before in the past. It's going to leave a bit of a bitter taste come that date (July 1) but we are, obviously, willing to do what we need to."

Hazlewood admitted the pay fight could damage the sport's standing but said relations could heal quickly.

"I would like to think so. It, obviously, depends on how far we end up going for but I hope it can be repaired in the future," he said.

The ACA is still calling upon CA chief James Sutherland, who has returned from England, to front negotiations with counterpart, Alistair Nicholson.

Hazlewood said the players were willing to budge on some issues. However, that's unlikely to be the revenue-share model.

"There are obviously little things we can negotiate here and there. Obviously, we are not going to get everything we want, and CA aren't going to get everything they want. But we are, obviously, willing to budge here and there in different eras and willing to negotiate," he said.

"The players are very flexible. We are willing to do what we need to do to get a result done, to get everyone under the collective banner, domestic players and, obviously, national players. To get a result, we are very flexible."

Former Test vice-captain Shane Watson, who sits on the ACA executive, described the passing of the deadline as a "very sad state of affairs".

"To think that tomorrow the majority of all the Australian contracted players are unemployed, all the majority of domestic players are all unemployed as well...it's incredibly sad to think," Watson said.

"The ACA are not asking for any more than they ever have over the last 19 years and also knowing where the climate of TV rights and where things are at at the moment with Cricket Australia, they're negotiating the next round of TV rights ... it's all up in the air.

"With Channel 10 and how TV rights and free-to-air TV are struggling at this moment, in time the players are, obviously, willing to share the upside but also willing to share the downside if things don't go to plan as well. For me it just doesn't make any sense."

Fairfax Media has sought comment from Cricket Australia.