Dublin: Irish men’s cricketers have turned down a contract offer from the sports body, Cricket Ireland, as they prepare for the series against Pakistan and the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
Last week, the players rejected terms, including a pay rise, which were discussed after the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced an increase in funding for Irish Cricket late last year.
The Irish Cricketers Association (ICA), which represents the players, is in the process of negotiating a contract with Cricket Ireland. However, the exact amount of ICC funding received by Cricket Ireland was only revealed after last year’s contract expired.
As a result, matches played after March 1, including the landmark Test win against Afghanistan, were scheduled last year, and there has been no special limit since then.
Cricket Ireland had hoped to access an additional $1.5 million in ICC funding, but this did not happen. In addition, the increased cost of hosting matches abroad, such as the series against South Africa in the UAE, has led to a review of Cricket Ireland’s 2024 budget.
The council ended the budget plan last year, causing delays in contract negotiations and early House summer announcements. Despite ongoing discussions, the latest contract offer was rejected by the men’s players’ association, resulting in the players continuing on last year’s terms until a new contract was agreed upon. The salary adjustment will be pushed back to March 1, the target date for this year’s contract.
Ireland’s cricket schedule includes a three-match T20 series against Pakistan, followed by three matches against the Netherlands and Scotland. Their T20 World Cup campaign begins on June 5 against India in New York, with additional matches against Canada, USA and Pakistan scheduled in America.
Meanwhile, Ireland Women, who recently completed their T20 World Cup qualification campaign, are yet to finalize their contract decision and focus on their qualification efforts. Scheduled to play Sri Lanka in August and England in September, the planned series against the Netherlands after the T20 World Cup qualifiers are now uncertain due to financial problems.
