Ireland’s Players Secure Pay Raise in Revised Central Contracts

After some back-and-forth negotiations, Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers’ Association (ICA) have finally reached an agreement on central contract terms for the players.

This comes after the initial offer was rejected by the players last week, raising concerns about their contracts expiring before the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Both parties issued a joint statement on Thursday confirming the deal. New contracts will be issued immediately and will be valid until February 2025.

Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom assured fans that the players received a raise. He emphasized CI’s commitment to rewarding players for their contributions to Irish cricket. The new contracts reportedly allocate the biggest share of the additional cricket funding to the players.

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Deutrom also highlighted the importance of supporting the sport’s development at all levels. He assured that while prioritizing the national team players, CI remains focused on funding grassroots and provincial programs to ensure a steady stream of future talent.

Despite the initial delay, Deutrom maintained that negotiations with the ICA were positive. He attributed the delay to a later-than-expected budget finalization and the complexity of the new player contract structure.

Cecelia Joyce, president of the ICA, expressed satisfaction with the agreement. She commended the players’ unity throughout the process and highlighted the positive impact on professional cricketers in Ireland. The new MoU provides more transparency regarding player revenue share and establishes a clear contracting structure for the foreseeable future.

While the list of contracted players for the upcoming season is yet to be announced, CI promises to release further details about the MoU and player contracts soon.