ECB to introduce performance-related payments

The ECB will announce on March one the names of the players who will be signed on new contracts similar to those adopted in Australia and South Africa.

“If the England team are winning then the players that makeup that team will receive higher rewards,” said Lamb.

“Within the remuneration package for those contracted to England, a significant proportion of it will be performance-related pay.

“In addition to a basic salary, there is quite an attractive additional amount of money which is available to recognise success and on top of that there are the win-bonuses which have been provided by the sponsors in the past.”

Lamb and Graveney have recently arrived in Zimbabwe for discussions with England coach Duncan Fletcher and captain Nasser Hussain over which players should receive the contracts.

The move by the ECB has long been urged by critics who claim that England players operate in a `comfort zone’ with no extra incentive to turn in consistently high-level performances.

Lamb stressed the performance-related pay would be based entirely on the results achieved by the team as a whole and would not be awarded on an individual basis.

He said the ECB had budgeted an extra 750,000 pounds (1.20 million) for player remuneration this year.

Graveney emphasised the contracted players would still be available to play for their counties.

Opportunities to play county cricket are likely to be limited, though, as England face the most packed summer schedule in their history, with seven Test matches and 10 One-Day Internationals against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.

“These guys will play county cricket,” said Graveney. “If you compare our system with South Africa and Australia, there’s no suggestion in their set-up that centrally contracted players don’t play for their states or their provinces — and the same applies with us.”

Graveney, in consultation with Fletcher and Hussain, has a total of 16 contracts to offer to England players, although it is thought the final number will be slightly less as the ECB are unwilling to gamble on younger, less proven talent.

The contracts will be for six months with the possibility that the most senior players may be rewarded with one-year deals.

“We want players to aspire to a contract,” explained Lamb. “That is why the total financial package is going to be reasonably attractive.

“It’s a target for people to aim for and an achievement once it’s been gained. We hope that people will be playing to get their contract renewed on a six-monthly basis as the principle applies in Australia.”

England complete their four-month tour of Southern Africa with the fourth One-Day International against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

They go into the game with an a 3-0 lead in the series. They lost the Test series against South Africa 2-1, and in the final of a three-country one-day series to the home side.