England all-rounder Chris Woakes reckons top players of the national side could yet endure major pay cut from their salaries as the ECB contemplates options to best deal with the financial implications of COVID-19 pandemic.
ECB CEO Tom Harrison confirmed he'll take a 25 per cent pay cut from his salary for the next three months while the board is suffering losses. This, after announcing a £61 million ($76 million) aid package for the game's survival in the UK.
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While Harrison did say there are no plans for the board to enforce a pay cut on players, that stance felt changed in a letter to the chief executive of England's Professional Cricketers Association, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, where players like Test captain Joe Root, premier all-rounder Ben Stokes were indirectly urged to do their bit for the cause.
"It's a tricky one, talking about finances and people's wages, it can be a delicate subject," Woakes told BBC Radio. "The PCA is our governing body (union) as players and they do a fantastic job for us. They're looking after us as well as they can and trying to help the ECB through this."
"Those discussions are ongoing between the ECB and the PCA and there's every chance that might happen but at the minute we haven't been asked to take a pay cut," added the 31-year-old.
"By no means does that mean it won't happen in the future; we are likely to have to help the game get through this tough period. Time will tell."
The ECB is foreseeing major losses with the threat of suspension looming large over lucrative home series against West Indies, Pakistan, Australia in a summer where domestically the inaugural The Hundred is also scheduled.
Meanwhile, Woakes lauded teammate and wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler for auctioning his last year's 50-over World Cup final shirt to provide help to two London-based hospitals in this phase.
"It's an incredible thing Jos has done, to give away one of his most valuable shirts," said Woakes. "The price is already up at £65,000 upwards. Let's hope it can get up to £100,000."
(Inputs from AFP)
