A group of English county cricketers has reportedly discussed the possibility of boycotting the 2025 edition of the Hundred in response to the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) recently implemented No-Objection Certificate (NOC) policy.
According to The Telegraph, the players have raised the idea as a “nuclear option” during discussions with their agents and in crisis talks with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA). However, the PCA has declined to comment, and the boycott has so far been discussed independently of the players’ union.
The timing of this dispute is sensitive for the ECB, coinciding with Monday’s second-round deadline in the Hundred’s sales process, where potential investors will submit offers for stakes in the tournament’s eight teams. While the ECB has declined to comment, a source insisted that the timing of the boycott discussions was coincidental and unrelated to the sales process.
Players have expressed confusion and frustration over discrepancies between the wording of the NOC policy and the details communicated by the ECB. Limited consultation with the PCA prior to the policy’s publication has added to the unrest. Approximately 40–50 players shared their grievances with the PCA during two group calls on Monday, suggesting potential next steps, including a collective refusal to engage with the Hundred’s retention process, set to run until late February.
Despite these discussions, such action appears unlikely, especially as the ECB has reportedly approved pay increases for the 2025 edition of the Hundred, with further raises expected following agreements with private investors. The group of players raising the boycott option does not include centrally contracted England players but does feature some of the Hundred’s higher earners from last year.
Players were particularly upset to learn—through ESPNcricinfo’s reporting—that those with “pay-as-you-play” red-ball contracts would be treated the same as all-format county cricketers under the new policy. Agents raised these concerns during a PCA meeting on Wednesday, pointing out inconsistencies with insurance-related precedents.
The PCA is awaiting legal advice before deciding its next steps. Meanwhile, players are seeking clarity on whether they will receive NOCs for longstanding winter commitments. English players have already participated in leagues in Abu Dhabi, Guyana, and Nepal, with Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) set to begin next weekend.
Uncertainty around NOCs is also affecting players’ plans for the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), which overlaps with the first two months of the County Championship. Some players have reportedly agreed in principle to PSL contracts, with further recruitment expected once draft details are finalized this month.
While the first-class counties generally support the new policy, one source predicted it might prompt a small number of players to retire from first-class cricket. The ECB views the policy as a necessary measure to counter the threat posed by players prioritizing overseas franchise leagues during the English summer.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
