SA players agree pay freeze

South Africa's leading cricketers have agreed to a pay freeze, highlighting the serious financial shortfalls which threaten many of the country's provincial teams.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) welcomed the news as proof that the players' passion for the game outweighs monetary gain, but the truth is that the stark reality of a game in crisis has hit home.

The deal affects all players centrally contracted to the UCB and came about as a result of meetings with the board and Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African Cricketers' Association. "The focus was on getting a sound contractual basis and issues of principle," insisted Irish, "rather than short-term financial gain." The UCB declined to reveal the amounts being paid, although newspaper reports indicate that the average is around R30,000 (US$3750). The players earn R21,600 (US$2700) per Test and R8640 (US$1000) per ODI at the moment.

The news highlights a growing trend in most countries towards tighter financial management in the face of falling revenues, with boards looking to link pay to results. Sri Lanka's players are facing a pay cut of up to 30%, and England have reduced the number of centrally contracted players as a cost-cutting measure.