Sri Lanka club cricketers to earn big money..

Club cricketers in Sri Lanka have been told to turn their backs on contracts in England and Australia and instead look to swelling their bank accounts by playing in the domestic Premier League and Zonal tournaments that will now be offering players a minimum payment of Rs. 1 million each for a season.

Sri Lanka Cricket attributes the increase in payments at local tournaments to a revision in dole-outs for first class cricketers.

“It has been the aim of SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) over the years to professionalise cricket and to make it a livelihood. I am extremely happy to oversee a Committee which has implemented this long felt need. It will no doubt lay the seed for cricket as a livelihood in Sri Lanka”, said SLC chairman Sidat Wettimuny

Domestic first class cricketers can earn 25,000 for a day at a Zonal 50-over tournament and Rs.20,000 per day for a Zonal four-day match in addition to Rs.15,000 a day for a T20 match. For contesting the three-day Premier League matches a club player can earn Rs.7500 a day which will be the same amount a cricketer can be entitled to for taking part in the 50 over tournament and T20 championships.

SLC contends that the increase in contract fees reflects the new course domestic cricket was now taking.
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“This is certainly a step in the right direction and will persuade our young and aspiring cricketers to remain in Sri Lanka and play competitive cricket rather than move to Australia or England on a regular basis, to play cricket and boost their income”, SLC said. As many as 154 cricketers are active in the Sri Lanka domestic set-up.