Ireland teams agree new contracts with Cricket Ireland

Ireland’s cricketers have accepted new contract offers from the sport’s governing body Cricket Ireland.

In the build-up to their series at home against Pakistan, it was reported that the Irish men’s side had rejected new deals and were still in negotiations through the Irish Cricketers’ Association.

Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom has confirmed to RTÉ Sport that both the men’s and women’s squad have now accepted the terms of a new deal.

Ireland’s men’s side are in Amsterdam next week, playing a triangular series against the Netherlands and Scotland, before heading to face India in the T20 World Cup finals next month.

Cricket Ireland and the ICA will finalise the terms of an inaugural memorandum of understanding, which both parties claim is progressing very well.

Revised contracts will be issued immediately and will apply until the end of February 2025.

Further details about contracts will be published later.

Deutrom said: “We are delighted to have reached agreement around player contract terms for this year. The new contract structure reflects a more sophisticated model which includes revenue share models, performance bonus agreements, and other factors we are looking to codify in the MOU we are now finalising with the ICA.

“From the inception of player payments, the Cricket Ireland board has always prioritised our senior men’s and women’s players to reward them for their huge part in driving forward the sport in Ireland.

“The players have received the biggest share of the new money in Irish cricket this year. That is as it should be. I believe we have done our best to reward players for their hard work and success without forgetting our duty to fund the rest of the sport, particularly at grassroots, club and provincial level, to ensure we can produce future internationals as well.

“These negotiations have taken time to finalise due to the later than planned sign-off of our budget and the complexity of the new model for player contracts. However, at all times, we have been working very positively with the ICA to ensure we reached an agreement that works for all.”