England pacer James Vince feels the ECB’s new No Objection Certificates (NOCs) policy will see players opting for the T20 league over first-class cricket and said the new guidelines offer preferential treatment to the Indian Premier League. The England Board of Directors had decided in November 2024 to refrain from issuing no-objection certificates to players of all formats to play in the Pakistan Super League, scheduled for April and May of this season, because the league conflicts with the first rounds of the county championship.
However, Vince defied the ECB’s decision and left first-class cricket to play for Karachi Kings in the upcoming PSL season.
“When they first mentioned it, a group of players was created on WhatsApp and there was a lot of discussion. The initial feeling was that it would turn people away from red-ball cricket,” said Vince, who played 13 Tests. ESPNCricinfo.
“I felt like it would limit opportunities. The players were getting frustrated with that… there were a few things in it [we] I didn’t really understand.” The Kings retained the 33-year-old, who currently plays for the Gulf Giants in the ILT20 tournament in the UAE, ahead of the PSL Draft.
This season the PSL is clashing with the IPL and also with the county tournaments.
“This is a big thing that has caused a lot of confusion. It must have something to do with the relations between the ECB, PCB and BCCI as to why they came up with this rule,” Vince said.
“The PSL is a shorter competition, so if you’re going to play in it, you’ll probably miss less domestic cricket than if you were going to the IPL… it just doesn’t seem right.” Vince, a long-time Hampshire captain, played 197 first-class matches over 15 years for the team. He captained them 92 times, taking them to the top three three times in a row.
However, Vince believes more players will follow him and ditch red-ball contracts.
“There are more and more opportunities for guys to play white-ball cricket and earn good money during our domestic season… You’re talking about very significant amounts of money in terms of what they’re giving up by playing red-ball cricket,” Vince said.
“Especially in their careers, when there is such a big difference in these numbers, I’m sure more and more people will go this route,” he said. PTI UNG ATK ATTACK 07/21/2024
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