▁not ▁be ▁given ▁first - class ▁status ▁and ▁the ▁players ▁involved ▁would ▁be ▁b anned ▁from ▁Test ▁match ▁and ▁first ▁class ▁cr icket . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁signed ▁players ▁now ▁considered ▁withdraw ing . ▁Jeff ▁Thom son ▁and ▁Al vin ▁K all ich aran ▁had ▁their ▁contract s ▁torn ▁up ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁discovered ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁binding ▁agre ements ▁with ▁a ▁radio ▁station ▁requiring ▁them ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁Queensland . ▁Pack er ▁moved ▁quickly ▁to ▁shore ▁up ▁support , ▁meeting ▁with ▁the ▁players ▁and ▁taking ▁legal ▁action ▁to ▁prevent ▁third ▁parties ▁from ▁indu cing ▁players ▁to ▁break ▁their ▁contract s . ▁To ▁clarify ▁the ▁legal ▁imp lications ▁( including ▁the ▁proposed ▁b ans ), ▁Pack er ▁back ed ▁a ▁challenge ▁to ▁the ▁T CC B ▁in ▁the ▁High ▁Court ▁by ▁three ▁of ▁his ▁players : ▁Tony ▁Gre ig , ▁Mike ▁Pro ct er ▁and ▁John ▁Snow . ▁ ▁The ▁case ▁began ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁last ed ▁seven ▁weeks . ▁The ▁cr icket ▁authority ' s ▁coun sel ▁said ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁top ▁players ▁desert ed ▁traditional ▁cr icket ▁then ▁gate ▁rece i pts ▁would ▁decl ine . ▁Mr . ▁Pack er ' s ▁law y ers ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁I CC ▁had ▁tried ▁to ▁force ▁the ▁Pack er ▁players ▁to ▁break ▁their ▁contract s ▁and ▁to ▁prevent ▁others ▁from ▁joining ▁them . ▁Justice ▁Sir ▁Christopher ▁S lade ▁considered ▁the ▁following ▁nine ▁points : ▁▁ ▁Are ▁the ▁contract s ▁between ▁W SC ▁and