Often, when people think about cricket, they think of players on the professional level. But what about county cricketers? What are the average salaries for county cricketers? How much sponsorship income do county cricketers earn?
Before diving into these questions, let’s first discuss what county cricket actually is.
What is County Cricket?
County cricket has been played since the early 18th century. It involves teams representing the historic counties of England and Wales.
What Is The Average Salary For A County Cricketer?
Whether a cricketer plays for a county or state, their salaries will vary depending on their role. Those playing in a higher position, such as captain, may earn much more than those in a lower position.
In England, the average salary for a county cricketer is around £24,000. In 2021, this salary was decreased by £3,500. This was due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the English game.
Is County Cricket A Full-Time Job?
Cricketers play a full-time job from April to October. They spend most of their time outdoors and may spend periods away from home. They practice bowling and batting and may attend special England training academies. Some cricketers also travel to other countries to play.
In addition to their salary, cricketers earn a share of the club’s commercial rights. Some boards pay players a percentage of their commercial rights, while others pay them nothing. Those playing in the IPL earn staggering salaries.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association has talked with the England and Wales Cricket Board about a new contract. The principal negotiating point is a guaranteed salary for full-time professionals.
Three Formats Available To Professional Cricketers
Among the many innovations in the game, the three formats available to professional county cricketers have sparked a fair amount of debate. The ECB (English Cricket Board) has put forth countermeasures to its member clubs’ recruitment and promotion strategies. Still, it may be that repeated changes are not necessarily a sustainable solution.
The first of the three formats is the Test match, a five-day contest in which two innings are played each. It is considered the pinnacle of the game, as it tests teams endurance and technique.
The Twenty20 (T20) has been around since 2003 and has been credited with attracting new fans to the game. The short duration of the match and the competition has brought about a new generation of players. The Twenty20 also spawned the IPL, an international cricket league that helped to define the T20 identity.
The T20 mentioned above is not as competitive as the test match, but it is still a competitive sport. This is aided by the TCCB’s moratorium on signing overseas players in 1999.
Top League County Cricket Teams
There are 18 first-class counties. Named after the historic English counties, they are the top league cricket teams. The teams include Derbyshire, Durham, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Warwickshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Worcestershire, and Yorkshire.
Who Is Highest Paid Player Of County Cricket?
According to the reports of 2022, Cheteshwar Pujara of the Sussex County Club is one of the highest-paid county players and has a net worth of around £2 million. Similar reports have stated that Pakistani players Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is one of the fastest bowlers in the world, is being paid a similar amount, and Muhammad Rizwan, one of the best T20 batsmen, now plays for Sussex.
This also shows the growth of county cricket in the last few years.
Author Bio:
Carmen Troy is a UK-based professional academic writer who has been writing for over five years. He has worked on more than 150 projects varying from writing essays for college students to writing dissertations for undergraduate, master and PhD levels. His extensive experience and skills have led him to become one of the best academic writers in the UK.
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