Players voice frustration at move that will largely benefit overseas signings in men’s competition
Matt Roller12-Dec-2024The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) has escalated its row with the ECB, accusing the board of showing players “a lack of respect” with changes to the Hundred’s pay structure.Salaries for the 2025 edition were announced on Thursday to the backdrop of existing discontent over a controversial new No-Objection Certificates (NOC) policy, and prompted frustration from both players and the union that represents them. Their objections include: The growing gender pay gap between men’s and women’s competitions An expectation that top salary increases will predominantly benefit overseas players Failure to reward the players that have grown the Hundred’s profile ahead of the sale of stakes in its teams A “severe lack” of communication between board and players Changes from plans pitched to players at a PCA summit in OctoberThe PCA has been publicly critical of several recent ECB decisions, including piecemeal changes to the county schedule and new restrictions on NOCs. Neil Snowball, the ECB’s managing director of competitions and major events, denied last month that the two organisations were at loggerheads but the PCA’s frustration is abundantly clear.The response to the split of salary increases will further raise the prospect of some players refusing to engage in the Hundred’s retention process. The threat of a boycott was raised last week as a potential last resort by those disillusioned by the new clampdown on NOCs, which will affect the same group of players frustrated by Thursday’s announcement.”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,” Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, said. “However, this has not been the case in the last few weeks, including the lack of player consultation and clarity on the NOC policy.”Mitchell said the PCA were “extremely concerned” at the management of salary increases, citing a growing gender pay gap and a sense that English players “will see little benefit” from the changes to the top wage bands in the men’s game, which are designed to attract leading overseas players.In the men’s Hundred, top salaries will rise by 60% from £125,000 to £200,000 next year, with a 20% rise from £100,000 to £120,000 for players in the second-highest salary band. The other four salary bands – covering 11 players in each squad – will only increase by 3-5%.Salary increases in the women’s Hundred are more evenly distributed, with a 30% hike for top earners and raises between 13 and 25% for the remaining wage bands. But the competition’s gender pay gap has grown overall, with the vast majority of the overall 25% increase in its salary pot to be distributed to the 16 highest-earning players in the men’s competition.”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,” Mitchell said.Tymal Mills, who is the top wicket-taker across the four seasons of the men’s Hundred, wrote on X: “Players in bands three downwards have largely carried and made the competition what it is today, ready to be sold and profited on. Yet, after tax, [they] are essentially getting no salary improvement after four years. First world problems I know but worth pointing out.”Sam Billings, who has captained Oval Invincibles to back-to-back men’s titles, added: “Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%… Who has come up with this???”The ECB was represented at a PCA summit in Paris in October by Vikram Banerjee and Rob Hillman, director of business operations and director of major events respectively, who briefed players on planned Hundred salary changes. Mitchell said: “Unfortunately, what was presented to the players and the subsequent conversations that followed has changed significantly.”Hillman said on Thursday it was “imperative” that the ECB reviewed its salary offers “in the current landscape of global cricket”. He said: “We want the best players participating in the Hundred… We’re really excited about where the Hundred goes next.”The row has broken out at a time when the PCA’s leadership is in transition. Mitchell, the chief operating officer, has stood in as interim chief executive since Rob Lynch left for a role at MCC in July. James Harris will stand down as chair in February, with both roles recently advertised.