Roy sparks exodus fear for England
England are racing to reform their central-contract system after Jason Roy became the first player to withdraw from a national contract to play in the United States, sparking fears that more could follow.
Roy is signing a two-year deal with Los Angeles Knight Riders in the first edition of Major League Cricket, which launches in July. Three of the six teams, including LA Knight Riders, are owned by Indian Premier League franchises. He remains available for England and insists that is his “priority”.
The news highlights the need for England to review the structure, and remuneration, of their national contracts. Telegraph Sport understands that improved terms for players are to be pushed forward before the next batch of contracts begins on Oct 1. Roy’s contract in the US is thought to be for £150,000 per year, while his voided England contract essentially amounted to a £60,000 top-up of his Surrey salary. Last year, a poor run of form led to him dropping off the list of 18 players with full central contracts.
There is concern that others could follow in turning down a national deal. One example is Roy’s Surrey team-mate, Reece Topley. England have blocked their contracted players from going to MLC this year as it falls in a window they see as an opportunity for rest.
England are considering offering the most valuable players – those playing across formats, and fast bowlers – multi-year deals.
They confirmed Roy was still available for selection “on the proviso that he gives up the remainder of his ECB incremental contract”.
Jason Roy combined with Jos Buttler for the finest moment in England’s one-day history: the run-out of Martin Guptill that won the 2019 World Cup final.
Now Roy is potentially sacrificing his place at the next World Cup by accepting a £300,000, two-year deal to play for the Los Angeles Knight Riders, giving up his incremental England contract in the process.
He will not be the last. Buttler is the most-prized Twenty20 England player. He has a strong bond with the Rajasthan Royals already and, while he told England recently he had not received a 12-month offer from any Indian Premier League team, it is only a matter of time. He has it all: he can hit the ball miles, is a perfect role model with a squeakyclean image and a consummate professional.
He will captain England at the World Cup in India this year. After that, it will be open season on him and many of England’s white-ball stars: Liam Livingstone, Jofra Archer (if he recovers fitness) and Buttler, to name but a few.
The question for
England is how they respond. Roy was on only an incremental deal worth about £60,000. He is 33 in July, was dropped last year from the T20 team and his place in the 50-over World Cup is not certain, given his game is less suited to Asian conditions.
Roy goes with England’s blessing and a promise it will not be held against him. That is a practical move. It is not worth a fight with a player who is fading. Buttler would be different and England hope his loyalty will mean they can work out a compromise. If he turned down a central contract for a 12-month franchise deal, it would be a shattering blow to the prestige of English cricket. It would be devastating if a player of Harry Brook’s age were to do so but, so far, around the world, it has been only those reaching the end of the line and looking for a final payday (which is fair enough) to take the franchise coin. England have stood by Roy many times when he has suffered losses of form and countless injuries. He is a selfless player and without him they would not have won that World Cup, but he may find the loyalty is not quite there if he fails to maintain the high standards required when there are so many other talented white-ball players in the
He goes with the blessing of England. That is practical. It is not worth a fight with a player who is fading
English game. But, away from Roy, the situation is deeper and harder to navigate for the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Match fees will double from their current £12,800 for a Test and £4,500 for a one-day international, which seems such small fry that it belongs to a different era. Central contracts are to be renegotiated, too, with multi-year deals for the better players and less rigidity. Brook is earning only £60,000 on an incremental deal because he exploded into life after the contracts were awarded. They are given out on a once-yearly basis, so he has to wait until September.
But are those changes enough to compete with the richest Indian franchises who are buying up teams around the world? The ECB has a lot of pulls on its resources – cash-strapped counties, the recreational game and pay rises for the England men and women. The broadcast deal is signed until 2028. There is a guarantee of income, but costs are rising.
The most realistic route to new money is selling equity in the Hundred franchises. Richard Gould, the ECB chief executive, flew to India yesterday to attend the IPL final on Sunday and, while his attitude to the Hundred is cold, developing the competition (even if it becomes a T20) by selling stakes in teams is inevitable.
England will say good luck to Roy. His county, Surrey, will, too. But there is a sense that players want it all now. They use their counties as bases, making the most of medical facilities when injured and coaching staff, but then go off and play franchise cricket, missing matches for their counties to play IPL. The county directors of cricket met this week and called for an overhaul of 12-month contracts. A battle looms.
But the power lies with players. The best white-ball cricketers will soon be like golfers or tennis players, able to afford their own coaches and support staff. Some of the bigger IPL teams have the funds to look after players medically as well.
A lot has changed since that sunny Sunday at Lord’s in 2019 when Roy threw to Buttler and England won the greatest one-day game ever played.