Roy’s set to ditch his ECB contract
WORLD Cup-winner Jason Roy looks set to to cancel his England contract to take up a deal with Major League Cricket in the United States.
The batter, who has just returned from a stint with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, is understood to have received an offer from their affiliated MLC franchise, the Los Angeles Knight Riders.
It has been reported the 32-year-old has been offered in the region of £300,000 for the first two seasons of the new American competition, which launches in July.
That is considerably more than the incremental deal Roy has with the England and Wales Cricket Board, a retainer worth around £60,000, and he is now preparing to terminate that contract ahead of its expiry in October.
While that would be a watershed moment of sorts – no other England cricketer has torn up their ECB terms to take up other opportunities – it is merely the latest sign of the T20 circuit squeezing the sides of the international game.
The ECB is understood to have made it clear to Roy that he would not be approved for MLC while possessing his current contract, but there is an element of understanding around the financial security on offer.
Should Roy resolve to go ahead, as is expected, he would not be ruled out of future selection for England.
The opener was dropped ahead of the T20 World Cup triumph in October, but has held on to his place in the 50-over side and will hope to feature in this year’s ODI World Cup defence in India.
It has been reported Surrey seamer Reece Topley, who also receives an incremental deal from the ECB, has also been targeted by MLC, while there has been mounting speculation IPL franchises could soon be looking to sign up high-profile star names on 12-month deals. Jofra Archer, who was recently ruled out of the English summer through injury, is among those to have been linked.
The ECB’s contract system is likely to be overhauled soon, with longer-term deals and an increase in the value of match fees both on the agenda.
Meanwhile, England’s new Test vice-captain Ollie Pope has revealed how the backing he received from Ben Stokes last year helped rebuild his self-belief.
Pope had been in and out of the side before Stokes took over as skipper last summer.
Now he has been installed as Stokes’ official deputy at the start of an Ashes summer, having impressed senior members of the side with his confidence and tactics.
“There was a time after the last Ashes where he thought I was better than I thought I was, to be honest,” he said.
“That’s probably why I got picked when they (Stokes and Brendon McCullum) came in. He backed me for a long time more than I backed myself, for sure.
“He’s brought that out of me so now I feel like I’m a good player and he feels like I am too.
“He’s a superstar now, but the best thing about him is he’d do anything for his team.”