New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS): Australian cricket will face a major financial loss if the England team refuses to tour Down Under for the Ashes series, which is scheduled to begin in December.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, any boycott because of the England player'' refusal to undergo resort-style quarantine for themselves and their families around the five-Test series would leave an Australian Dollars (AUD)200 million blackhole in Australian cricket's finances.

"About AUD100 million of that would be as a direct impact on the Australian broadcast rights deal with Channel Seven and Fox, while sponsorship, overseas broadcast rights, and ticket sales would make up the bulk of the remainder.

"International, state, and Big Bash male and female cricketers receive roughly a quarter of Australian cricket income, with a large chunk of the remaining AUD 150m earmarked for grassroots cricket," the report stated.

The ECB board is likely to meet later this week to determine whether this wi'ter's Ashes can take place, after appearing to concede that several of the 'eam's leading players remain unwilling to submit to Australia's stringent Covid-19 protocols.

In a statement issued on Monday morning, the ECB said that it had been in discussions with England men's players and management -- some of whom will be departing for the UAE later the same day ahead of this month's T20 World Cup.