Daily cricket allowance has certainly lifted
There was a time when first class cricketers played because they just loved the game. School teachers filled their holidays with cricket, farmers had wives who did all the work, university students had parents who paid their way and bank clerks and others took unpaid leave.
In the 1970s Central Districts teams were billeted, had hit ups before games and were paid $9 a day to cover costs. By the end of that decade the pay had gone up to $13 a day, the team stayed in cheap hotels and as well as hit ups, there were warm-ups. There were also a couple of one-day games introduced. Things were progressing.
By the time the 1980s rolled around the pay had shot up to $21 a day, the hotels had a few more stars, while as well as hit ups and warm-ups, there were warm downs at the end of the day. The three-day game was followed by a one-day game, a travel day, then another four days of play. Where was the Players’ Association when it was needed!
Motor forward three decades and the game as we knew it has been overtaken in a blaze of colour, action, speed and money, culminating in the Indian Premier League. No cricketer in his right mind would have ever thought he’d be playing games of 20 overs a side for large amounts of money and travelling to India to do it.
What an opportunity. Place your name in the hat and wait and see. The IPL beckons.
However, not everyone can be selected. Fourteen New Zealand players did not receive a bid at auction, including Central Stags Ross Taylor, Tom Bruce, Jesse Ryder and Ben Wheeler.
The big winner on the day was Trent Boult who will be earning more than NZ$1 million for his six weeks work, making him the second highest paid New Zealander of all time in the IPL behind Brendon McCullum.
Corey Anderson will be picking up a little over NZ$200,000 while Matt Henry, Martin Guptill and Lockie Fergusson will pocket around NZ$100,000.
McCullum, Kane Williamson, Adam Milne, Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan are still sitting on the second year of their contracts.
The King of the IPL, though, is Stephen Fleming, who has been a part of the circus every year as a player or a coach. Daniel Vettori is following in his footsteps as is bowling coach Shane Bond.
With every major cricketing country now holding their own T20 competition, the IPL is only the icing on the cake. There can be good money made if selected in any or more than one of these countries formats which suggests every first class cricketer in New Zealand must surely have an eye on a contract or two around the globe.
Therefore, it is no wonder that Ross Taylor was gutted when he was not selected in the Black Caps T20 side as a healthy score against South Africa would have seen him back in the spotlight and just maybe a few thousand dollars richer and playing in India.
Nothing is guaranteed in life but there is opportunity nowadays to turn cricket into a well paid job. Certainly, the wife wouldn’t have to worry about milking the cows any more.