Daryl Mitchell, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association for England and Wales, has accused the ECB of a "lack of communication" over salary changes for players in the Hundred in 2025.
The ECB announced the salary increases for next year's Hundred today (December 12), with top-band men's players set to receive a pay increase of £75,000, a 60 per cent increase on their salaries in 2024. However, in the six lower bands in the men's competition, salaries will only rise by a maximum of 20 per cent, with bands four and five receiving an increase of less than four percent. For example, band seven players were paid £30,000 to play in the 2024 tournament, and will receive an increase of £1,000 to play in next year's edition.
Mitchell said in a statement: "The PCA and current players are extremely concerned at the disproportionate salary bands for The Hundred which will see very few men's professional cricketers in England and Wales benefit while the gap between the highest paid men's and women's players has widened.
"An increase in the overall salary pot should, if managed correctly, be a success story in the next stage of growth for the competition and the players' desire to feature in the competition. However, 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.
Hundred salaries rising for 2025, which ECB call a “transitional” year as the investment process beds in. Top bracket of men’s comp rises massively to £200k, women’s a bit to £65k pic.twitter.com/7gdi0RXY3Z
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) December 12, 2024
"The ECB attended the PCA Summit with players in October and presented their vision for player renumeration for 2025 onwards for men and women. Unfortunately, what was presented to the players and the subsequent conversations that followed has changed significantly. There is a huge discrepancy between the increases in the top two bands, compared to the majority of positions available, especially in the men's game."
The statement from the PCA comes two weeks after reports of frustration among English domestic players in relation to the ECB's new policy on issuing NOCs. The policy would effectively ban non-centrally contracted red-ball domestic players from signing for franchise leagues which would clash with the English domestic season. In a statement released at that time, Mitchell again expressed "frustration at the lack of time given for consultation, discussion and debate" over the policy.
Several senior English players have hit out on social media against the salary increases. England fast bowler Tymal Mills wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "Players in bands 3 downwards have largely carried and made the competition what it is today, ready to be sold and profited on. Yet, after tax, are essentially getting no salary improvement after four years."
Correct. Players in bands 3 downwards have largely carried and made the competition what it is today, ready to be sold and profited on. Yet, after tax, are essentially getting no salary improvement after four years. First world problems I know but worth pointing out. https://t.co/xHIPfvNNdS
— Tymal Mills (@tmills15) December 12, 2024
The move also came under criticism from Sam Billings, captain of back-to-back champions Oval Invincibles.
Remarkable how a category gets a 60% increase yet most others get under 5%…
— Sam Billings (@sambillings) December 12, 2024
Who has come up with this??? 🤯 https://t.co/WgMXKUWJER
The announcement also came under scrutiny for the differences between the increases in salaries for the men's competition and those in the women's competition. While the top bracket for men will rise by 60 per cent, the top bracket for women will rise by 30 per cent. In 2024, band one women's players were being paid £50,000 to play in the competition, they will be paid £65,000 in 2025 - less than a third of what the top bracketed men's players will receive.
While increases in the lower salary brackets have increased by more in the women's competition than they have in the men's, women's players will still collectively be paid less than half of what the men's players are paid. The lowest salary bracket in the women's competition will receive £10,000 to play in the competition, an increase of £2,000 compared to £1,000 in the same bracket in the men's competition, but will still be paid less than a third of the lowest men's salary bracket (£31,000).
The ICEC report, published in 2023, recommended that pay should be equalised between men and women at a domestic level by 2029. It also found that, at the time of publication, Hundred salaries in the women's competition were 25 per cent of the men's salary pot, captain's bonus and the amounts in each salary tier. It recommended these be equalised by 2025.
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