The ECB have confirmed that England’s men’s cricketers have agreed an overall pay cut of 15 per cent in their first contracts since the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
The new contracts began on October 1 and reflect times of “substantial shortfall in the ECB's revenue”. This month, 62 members of staff will be made redundant by the governing body, while others have been on pay cuts for six months.
The overall cut in payment to England’s men amounts to 15%. Around 10% of that is to their retainers, but the bigger hit has been taken by the add-ons – win bonuses and fees for matches and tours. Win bonuses are being cut in half.
That means the worst affected are those not handed one of 12 Test contracts, which were previously worth as much as £650,000.
Player payments are arranged by the ECB and the TEPP (Team England Player Partnership). Richard Bevan, TEPP Chairman, praised the players’ “great responsibility and unity with the wider game” in taking the paycuts.
ECB Managing Director of Men’s Cricket Ashley Giles said: “The relationship with our men's players and their representatives (TEPP) is strong, and we need to recognise that our players, led by captains Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, have conducted themselves with great maturity and responsibility throughout this challenging time.
“We now want to build on this agreement and work together on a number of areas relating to player welfare, particularly mental health, which remains a high priority for all of us, as we continue to navigate a path through this pandemic.”
