The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) is reportedly exploring a legal challenge against the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to ban players from participating in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and other franchise leagues that overlap with the domestic summer season.
“The PCA’s legal team is currently completing a thorough check of the implementation of the policy,” said Daryl Mitchell, interim chief executive of the PCA. “There is clear frustration at the lack of time given for consultation, discussion and debate before this policy was released publicly.”
The ECB‘s new policy, approved during a board meeting on Wednesday, aims to curb the loss of domestic talent during the English summer. With the PSL scheduled for April next year, competition for player availability will heighten. Additionally, the T20 Blast and The Hundred will coincide with Major League Cricket, Canada’s Global T20 League, and Sri Lanka’s Premier League, while the Caribbean Premier League will start in late August.
In recent years, many English players have opted to miss domestic matches, including T20 Blast games, to participate in overseas white-ball competitions. Under the new rules, players seeking to play in such competitions must retire from first-class cricket. Furthermore, English players will not be allowed to skip T20 Blast or Hundred fixtures to play in foreign leagues.
While the policy has little impact on centrally contracted players, those just below this level have expressed concerns about its potential to limit their earning opportunities. Some players are particularly frustrated with the perceived inconsistencies in the policy.
“Following the release of the ECB’s NOC [no objection certificate] policy and the summary of implementation, players have strongly expressed their concerns over elements of the restrictions and the inconsistencies in which players are likely to be treated,” Mitchell stated.
“The PCA is continuing to source considered opinions and potential consequences of this policy from players and player representatives.”
An exception remains for the Indian Premier League (IPL), which the ECB has historically excluded from similar restrictions due to its status as the world’s most lucrative cricket league.
One prominent player agent speculated that the policy might be legally challenged, noting it could lead to unintended consequences. “From a legal perspective, I’m pretty confident it could be challenged,” the agent said, suggesting the policy might push players to retire from red-ball cricket prematurely.
“It is actually going to do the opposite of what they are trying to do. If you are an England player coming off a central contract – why would you commit to a full county deal which could impact earnings in PSL or elsewhere?”
With over 20 major short-format franchise tournaments scheduled for 2024, and more expected in the future, the policy has sparked significant debate about its fairness and effectiveness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
