Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Interim Chief Executive Daryl Mitchell: “Extremely concerned at the ‘disproportionate increases’.
The PCA has responded following the change to The Hundred salary bands for the 2025 season, citing a further lack of consultation with the ECB over ‘disproportionate’ increases.
With the ECB announcing 25 per cent increases in The Hundred salary pot for 2025, 81 per cent of this will be shared by the top four players in each squad across the men’s and women’s competition, with 176 players seeing negligible change from the initial structure agreed in 2020.
“Due to a severe lack of communication and consultation, there is a feeling there has been a lack of respect to the players who have been incredibly supportive in growing the competition.”
DARYL MITCHELL
PCA Interim Chief Executive, Daryl Mitchell, said:
“The PCA and current players are extremely concerned at the disproportionate salary bands for The Hundred which will see very few men’s professional cricketers in England and Wales benefit while the gap between the highest paid men’s and women’s players has widened.
“An increase in the overall salary pot should, if managed correctly, be a success story in the next stage of growth for the competition and the players’ desire to feature in the competition. However, due to a severe lack of communication and consultation, there is a feeling there has been a lack of respect to the players who have been incredibly supportive in growing the competition.
“The ECB attended the PCA Summit with players in October and presented their vision for player renumeration for 2025 onwards for men and women. Unfortunately, what was presented to the players and the subsequent conversations that followed has changed significantly. There is a huge discrepancy between the increases in the top two bands, compared to the majority of positions available, especially in the men’s game.
“It is clear, the intention is to attract overseas players in the top salary bands, meaning home grown players will see little benefit from an increase.
“We have had a strong working relationship with the ECB on player matters for a significant period of time and there has been a feeling of genuine collaboration. However, this has not been the case in the last few weeks, including the lack of player consultation and clarity on the NOC Policy.
“The players views need to be central to the game’s decision making and the PCA looks forward to revisiting communication streams and negotiations for the future benefit of professional cricketers in England and Wales.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
