A significant dispute has erupted within English cricket over a newly implemented policy by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding No-Objection Certificates (NOCs), with T20 freelancers expressing their frustration over the changes. These players, who do not have national contracts but instead hold white-ball-only deals with their counties, believe the policy will limit their opportunities. Several of these players have reacted strongly to the move, leading to an emergency meeting next week to discuss potential legal action, including claims of restraint of trade. The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) is currently examining the policy’s implications, and Daryl Mitchell, PCA’s interim chief executive, confirmed the association’s legal team is reviewing it.
Although the PCA was aware that the ECB might alter its approach to NOCs, Mitchell criticized the lack of consultation or debate before the policy was announced. Players are particularly concerned about the inconsistencies in how the policy will affect them. The new ECB stance, approved by the board on November 28, is a response to the growing number of international franchise leagues during the English season. Notably, Major League Cricket (MLC) and others like the Lanka Premier League (LPL), the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and the T10 leagues in Zimbabwe and the Cayman Islands have drawn attention.
One of the most significant changes is that players with standard county contracts will no longer be granted NOCs for competitions that overlap with the T20 Blast or the Hundred. This decision aims to prevent a drain of talent from English domestic cricket. Players such as Jason Roy and Alex Hales, who skipped parts of the 2024 T20 Blast to participate in MLC and LPL respectively, would be directly impacted by this new policy. Additionally, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is moving to an April-May schedule starting in 2025, will clash with the County Championship season, further exacerbating the issue.
The ECB’s stance on NOCs will preserve the league’s exclusivity during the summer season, ensuring that the integrity and stability of domestic cricket competitions are not compromised. This change, however, raises concerns among some players that the move is more about protecting the Hundred’s commercial interests. With the league in the midst of a significant sales process, players feel that the policy change will further entrench the competition’s dominance.
In contrast, the ECB will continue to grant NOCs for participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as it remains a special case, though players must still be centrally contracted for the ECB to monitor their workloads. Several players, including Moeen Ali and Jamie Overton, were signed in the recent IPL mega-auction despite not being contracted by the ECB.
Moreover, the new policy may prompt players to reconsider their county contracts, with some potentially moving from all-format deals to white-ball-focused agreements. These agreements could include red-ball provisions on a pay-as-you-play basis, similar to deals already in place for players like Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood. The move is seen as a way to balance players’ financial opportunities with the ECB’s desire to safeguard the future of domestic cricket.
ECB CEO Richard Gould defended the policy, emphasizing that it is designed to maintain the integrity of English cricket while still allowing players to pursue global opportunities. The policy’s goal is to provide clear guidelines on NOCs and help manage player welfare, especially for centrally contracted England players. While it aims to ensure the success and competitiveness of the ECB’s domestic competitions, there is growing concern about how these new restrictions might shape the future of player contracts and international opportunities.