England players show humanitarian gesture during COVID-19 crisis
Over the years we have admired cricket players, idolized them for their performances on the field. They have provided us with moments of joy, passion and heartbreak through what goes on in the realms of the cricketing and entertainment world. If we are to find a silver lining in the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak, it lies in the fact that it has brought out the human side of the superstars sans the aura. Beyond being great at what they do for a living, they are incredible human beings.
The centrally contracted English players have voluntarily donated £500,000 to the ECB and other select good causes. The England women's squad has volunteered salary reductions for the months of April, May, and June, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the implications for the finances of English cricket.
The move comes at a time when players were criticized for their inaction towards salaries, while there have been a range of pay cuts within the county circuit and among the ECB employees. The players’ statement read "Following a meeting today of all of the England men's centrally contracted cricketers, the players have agreed to make an initial donation of £0.5m to the ECB and to selected good causes. The precise details of the charitable donation will be decided over the next week by the players.”
"This contribution is the equivalent of all of the England centrally contracted players taking a 20% reduction in their monthly retainers for the next three months. The players will continue to discuss with the ECB the challenging situation faced by the game and society as a whole and will consider how best to support the ECB and both the cricketing and wider community going forward.”
Meanwhile, the England women’s team which has also taken a 20% salary cut had its say voiced by the captain Heather Knight, "All the players felt like it was the right response in the current climate to take a pay cut in line with what our support staff are taking. We know how the current situation is affecting the game and we want to help as much as we can. We will be discussing with the ECB further ways we can help the game in the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, England’s world cup winning wicket-keeper and talismanic batsman Jos Buttler has decided to auction off his three lions shirt. The money raised would go towards providing “lifesaving equipment” to those in need. "I am going to be auctioning my World Cup Final shirt to raise funds for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity. Last week they launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment to help those affected during the COVID-19 outbreak," Jos Buttler announced via twitter.
I’m going to be auctioning my World Cup Final shirt to raise funds for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals charity. Last week they launched an emergency appeal to provide life saving equipment to help those affected during the Covid-19 outbreak. Link to auction in my bio. pic.twitter.com/ODN9JY4pk1
— Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) March 31, 2020
"Last week, the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals charity launched an emergency appeal to provide lifesaving equipment for those two hospitals, specializing in lung and heart conditions in preparation for the COVID-19 outbreak. To help with their fundraising effort, I'm going to be donating my World Cup final shirt, signed by all the players who were members of that squad."
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