Essex players to fund Abu Dhabi trip

Essex's players have volunteered to pay their own way for a club tour to Abu Dhabi for the pre-season Pro Arch Trophy 2009, which involves six county sides. The trip was in doubt after it was revealed the financially-struggling club was unable to meet the £50,000 expense, but the players have donated their £75,000 winter payments grant - which they were to split among themselves - from the ECB in order to bear the costs.

"Professional sportsmen are often portrayed as money grabbing, but I think the lads should be applauded," Essex coach Paul Grayson told the Daily Telegraph. "Nobody has caused a stink about it."

Sean Morris, the Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive, said the players' association helped work out the deal, but expressed concern over the financial issue. "By the time the money was distributed among the Essex squad, it worked out at £2,000 per player, so they thought they might as well spend it on a trip," he said.

"Hats off to them, but I think it shows there is more work to do before the idea of 12-month contracts becomes practical. If a player is earning £2,000 for his whole winter, he could make more money flipping burgers at McDonalds."

The ECB winter payments were introduced as an incentive to county players to sign 12-month contracts. Players are permitted to seek other opportunities in the off season, but the county retains control, and can prevent them from playing in unsanctioned leagues such as the ICL.

A source close to the team had earlier indicated to Cricinfo that Essex's senior squad members were not entirely happy about being asked to contribute £2500 a head for the two-week tournament, which also features Lancashire, Surrey, Sussex, Yorkshire and Middlesex. As one player reportedly put it: "I don't spend that sort of money to go on holiday with my girlfriend, let alone to go to work."

However, according to David East, the Essex chief executive, the payments were voluntary. "We had to cancel the tour for financial reasons," he told Cricinfo," but the players volunteered to step in and now we are definitely taking part. I know it has been discussed with the players involved."

A spokesman for the tournament, which runs from March 17 to 25, was unaware of the issues. "Every county is paying to take part," he told Cricinfo. "If there are ructions in the Essex camp, I don't know of them."