CX upgraded flights didn't credit, AA blames CX for issues
There have been other reports of this happening in another thread. I don't know if any of those posters were ultimately successful.
But I mean if CX insists you were on an award ticket then dispute the ticket cost with your CC with documentation from CX that it was an award flight...
I did this c. 2008 and didn't have any issues with miles posting to AA.