Cricket Australia's latest attempt to end a deadlock in its bitter pay dispute with players has been met with a "lukewarm" reception.

Less than a fortnight before the June 30 deadline for a new memorandum of understanding, CA has sent chief negotiator Kevin Roberts around the country to directly address the players. Roberts is believed to have started the talks last week and spoke on Tuesday with the NSW squad in Sydney.

Players, however, are less than impressed with CA's latest attempt to persuade them from parting with the revenue-sharing pay model first agreed upon in 1997.

While CA said on Tuesday it remains committed to brokering a new deal by June 30, the players have interpreted the talks as another sign the governing body does not want to reach a compromise.

Sources have told Fairfax Media that Roberts' address was no different to the controversial video presentation he gave last month that was strongly criticised by vice-captain David Warner.

Roberts' nationwide presentations come as former Australian all-rounder Brendon Julian turned the heat on James Sutherland, declaring the CA chief must spearhead stalling pay talks.

Sutherland has appeared only once in a dispute that has dragged on since December. Players could be locked out – and not paid – in little more than a week.

Julian, now a prominent commentator on Fox Sports, which broadcasts Australia's overseas campaigns, has called for Sutherland to take charge.

"Cricket's at a knife-edge point, I think, and it should be CEO to CEO," he said.

"It should always be like that in negotiations of this importance. And if you can't get anywhere, then you go to mediation. I'm just so surprised it's gone along like this. I think it's time the CEO steps in takes this thing a few steps forward.

"I don't think they're intentionally seeing it as 'us and them', but I think Cricket Australia's got to make sure they negotiate, pure and simple, and listen to the players. The whole atmosphere of it feels like we've gone back 20 years."

Australian Cricketers Association chief Alistair Nicholson has taken a more public role than Sutherland when it's come to detailing the players' submission, and what they dislike about CA's bid. The ACA has also turned to Greg Combet, the former ACTU secretary and ex-Labor minister, for advice.

CA and the ACA have resumed informal discussions, which continue this week.

Sutherland, however, could not be expected to be in Melbourne this week, for he is in London at a meeting of International Cricket Council chiefs where a new structure for Tests and one-day internationals is being debated.

CA wants to largely overhaul the set-percentage-of-pay model the two parties have used since 1997, with state-based players to be stripped of this benefit. The players remain unified that this must not happen. Players are due to be paid about $500 million over the next five years.

Just where added funds for grassroots cricket will be derived has also become a major point of debate, with Sutherland declaring, "the main issue ... is the chronic under-funding of grassroots".

Former player Simon Katich has even called for an independent review of CA's finances.

"I see people in the street who say, 'what's happening with that player dispute? Do the players want even more money?' And I have to say, 'no, no, it's not about that'. Of course, it's not about that," Julian said.

"The big point that's been missed is that players are part of the game. They're not necessarily saying they should run the game. But it's a partnership.

"That's the biggest key, I think, to the success of sporting codes around the world – that the players are seen as partners in the sport, not just wage-earners. That's the point that's been lost in translation."