Pay cut extended for Lancs players

LANCASHIRE players have agreed for their pay to be reduced for two more months.

An existing agreement between the Professional Cricketers’ Association and the 18 first-class counties covered April and May but has now been extended until July, with salary reductions capped at 20 per cent and domestic prize money foregone.

Any individual who leaves the game in 2020 having not earned a new deal will receive a refund on any salary cuts taken over this period.

Last week the ECB announced there would be no domestic competition before August 1.

The earlier collective bargain included provision for players to accept furlough conditions if offered and 16 counties - all barring Surrey and Lancashire - have since taken up the government scheme.

PCA chairman and Worcestershire batsman 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.

“We have 134 players out of contract at the end of this summer and protecting their interests has been a consensus across the membership.”