COURTESY BY: https://www.cricingif.com/
England’s cricketers have agreed to make an ‘initial donation’ of £500,000 ($612,000) in response to the financial crisis caused by coronavirus pandemic.
The statement was issued on Friday by the Professional Cricketers’ Association, the players’ union. Few days back, England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison had volunteered to take a 25 percent pay cut.
The ECB on Tuesday had unveiled £61 million ($76 million) aid package in response COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced the start of the English season delayed until May 28. It has also raised clouds of uncertainty whether the lucrative tours of West Indies, Pakistan and Australia will go on as planned or not.
“Following a meeting today of all of the England men’s centrally contracted cricketers, the players have agreed to make an initial donation of £0.5million to the ECB and to selected good causes,” said a statement issued by the PCA.
“The precise details of the charitable donation will be decided over the next week by the players.”
The statement further added the contribution was the “equivalent of all of the England centrally contracted players taking a 20 percent reduction in their monthly retainers for the next three months”.
“The players will continue to discuss with the ECB the challenging situation faced by the game and society as a whole and will consider how best to support the ECB and both the cricketing and wider community going forward,” Friday’s statement added.
World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, when asked if he would be willing to accept a pay-cut, said: “I’m extremely willing to help where I know it will make a difference…I’m open to absolutely everything.”
On the other hand, England women’s centrally contracted players, who earn considerably less than their male counterparts, announced they had asked for a reduction in salary for three months i.e. April, May and June, which also included the coaches and support staff.
