Budget cuts to scupper England’s young guns

THE future of England’s best young players could be under threat as the ECB plan wideranging cuts in player development programmes.

It is a sign that the financial commitment to launching the Hundred competition — which comes with an annual sweetener of £1.3m to each of the 18 counties — is impacting on other areas.

Although tours by England Lions (UAE and India) and Young Lions (India and provisionally Bangladesh) are not in jeopardy, two elements — the pace programme and overseas placements — have been culled for 2018-19.

Last winter, seven young fast bowlers were sent on two-week-long, warm-weather training camps to Spain, either side of a fortnight in Potchefstroom, South Africa. The development of spin bowlers and batsmen saw the ECB sponsor eight cricketers on ventures to Sydney, Perth and Wellington, and hire experts Stuart MacGill and Jeetan Patel to coach them.

Craig Overton and Mason Crane, two Test debutants during the 2017- 18 Ashes, have benefited from these programmes in the past. However, the ECB will not pay for overseas travel this year as they confine their winter activities to Loughborough. Although the ECB have secured a massive £1.1billion for their next TV deal, it does not kick in until 2020.

There was better news for England’s women, who go into the first of three ODIs against South Africa at Worcester today with a significant pay rise under their belts.

The 19 fully contracted England players have been handed a 40 per cent increase, with the leading players now earning 50 per cent more than last year, and taking home around £50,000 a year.

England’s men take on Scotland tomorrow in Edinburgh before their one- day series against Australia gets under way at The Oval on Wednesday.

And Jos Buttler (below) is still not sure what is acceptable when it comes to sledging the opposition, but he is certain that Australia will be as aggressive as ever.

Under new coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine, the tourists are in England for five one- day internationals and a T20, looking to rebuild their reputation following the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March.

But Buttler said yesterday: ‘Tactically and cricket-wise they’ll still be an aggressive side. Everyone determines the word sledging differently. My interpretation is completely different to yours, to Justin Langer’s, to (England captain) Eoin Morgan’s. So there are always going to be grey areas.

‘People always say, “I know where the line is”, but it depends on whose line it is.’ Additional reporting by Paul Newman and Daniel Matthews