NEW DELHI: Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers’ Association (ICA) have reached an agreement on the terms of central contracts for Ireland’s cricketers, resulting in a significant pay rise for players.
This development comes after reports last week indicated that Ireland’s players had initially rejected an offer from the board. The players were set to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup in June under contracts that expired in February this year.
In a joint statement released on Thursday evening, CI and ICA confirmed they had reached an agreement on player contracts and are finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties.
“This agreement will secure the overall relationship between Cricket Ireland and contracted players and will reflect the best-practice relationships that exist in other Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA)-aligned countries around the world,” the statement read.
While the list of contracted players has not yet been announced, the statement confirmed that “revised contracts will be issued shortly and will apply until the end of February 2025.”
CI’s chief executive, Warren Deutrom, highlighted the significance of the agreement and the priority given to rewarding players.
“From the inception of player payments, the Cricket Ireland board has always prioritised our senior men’s and women’s players to reward them for their huge part in driving forward the sport in Ireland,” said Deutrom.
He explained that the negotiations were delayed due to the late sign-off of the budget and the complexity of the new contract model. “The players have received the biggest share of the new money in Irish cricket this year. That is as it should be. I believe we have done our best to reward players for their hard work and success without forgetting our duty to fund the rest of the sport.”
Former Ireland batter and ICA president Cecelia Joyce expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
“Our members have been unified throughout this whole process and the outcome is a significant one for all professional players in Ireland, and the game. It ensures greater transparency and clarity with respect to the players’ share of revenue and on contracting structures for the next period,” Joyce said.
This agreement marks a crucial step in securing the future of Ireland’s professional cricketers and ensuring the growth and sustainability of the sport in the country.
(With inputs from ANI)
This development comes after reports last week indicated that Ireland’s players had initially rejected an offer from the board. The players were set to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup in June under contracts that expired in February this year.
In a joint statement released on Thursday evening, CI and ICA confirmed they had reached an agreement on player contracts and are finalizing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties.
“This agreement will secure the overall relationship between Cricket Ireland and contracted players and will reflect the best-practice relationships that exist in other Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA)-aligned countries around the world,” the statement read.
While the list of contracted players has not yet been announced, the statement confirmed that “revised contracts will be issued shortly and will apply until the end of February 2025.”
CI’s chief executive, Warren Deutrom, highlighted the significance of the agreement and the priority given to rewarding players.
“From the inception of player payments, the Cricket Ireland board has always prioritised our senior men’s and women’s players to reward them for their huge part in driving forward the sport in Ireland,” said Deutrom.
He explained that the negotiations were delayed due to the late sign-off of the budget and the complexity of the new contract model. “The players have received the biggest share of the new money in Irish cricket this year. That is as it should be. I believe we have done our best to reward players for their hard work and success without forgetting our duty to fund the rest of the sport.”
Former Ireland batter and ICA president Cecelia Joyce expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
“Our members have been unified throughout this whole process and the outcome is a significant one for all professional players in Ireland, and the game. It ensures greater transparency and clarity with respect to the players’ share of revenue and on contracting structures for the next period,” Joyce said.
This agreement marks a crucial step in securing the future of Ireland’s professional cricketers and ensuring the growth and sustainability of the sport in the country.
(With inputs from ANI)
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