Monday 1 June 2020 17:03, UK
County cricket's reduced pay deal has been extended to the end of July as players continue to wait for 2020 season to begin.
The existing agreement between the Professional Cricketers' Association and the 18 first-class counties covered April and May, with salary reductions capped at 20 per cent, all players agreeing to being furloughed if requested and domestic prize money foregone.
That has been extended for another two months, in line with the ECB's recent announcement that there would be no domestic competition before August 1 at the earliest, although players in the final year of their contracts have been granted dispensation.
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.
"This has not been an easy decision and causes a great deal of disruption to many of our members, however, the PCA Players' Committee ultimately agreed this is the right thing to do.
"Working collaboratively through this crisis has always been one of our top priorities and I appreciate the collective spirit of these discussions with the first-class counties, particularly at this most challenging of times.
"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.
"The understanding and support I have had from the PCA Players' Committee and senior players around the counties has continued to be vital.
"As a group we have been in constant communication to ensure we are supporting the interests of all professional players in England and Wales while being alert to the need for players to play their part."
