COVID-19: County players agree extended pay cut for June and July
The Professional Cricketers' Association have agreed to extend the reduction in remuneration for county players until the end of July amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last week announced that no domestic cricket activities will take place in the country till August 1.
"Discussions between the PCA and 18 first-class counties reached a conclusion over the weekend, which will see maximum reductions in player remuneration capped at 20 per cent for June and July," PCA said in a statement.
In April, PCA had announced that the county players have also agreed to take wage reductions in line with those which have been made to the salaries of non-playing staff at their own counties. Domestic prize money of 1.5million pound was also relinquished as part of that agreement, which initially covered April and May, in order to help support the finances of the county game.
PCA Chairman Daryl Mitchell said: "Although a great amount of uncertainty remains in domestic cricket, it does appear there is light at the end of the tunnel for players to return at some stage this summer. However, with no cricket to be played in June or July and therefore no revenue to be generated by counties, players have agreed to extend measures to protect the futures of all counties.
"We have 134 players out of contract at the end of this summer and protecting their interests has been a consensus across the playing membership, I am sure the measures brought in over the next two months provides some comfort to them," he added.
