The ECB introduced central contracts in 2000.   Under the central contracts system the best players remain "associated" with a county but the ECB pays their wages, controls when they play and provides coaching. Central contracts have also improved the pay of England players relative to their county colleagues .  In the 17 years since their introduction central contracts have increased in numbers and were extended to England's elite women cricketers in 2014. The ECB's accounts for the period to 31 January 2017 showed 42 cricketing employees compared with 12 central contracts in 2000. The introduction of central contracts was a belated recognition of the centrality of the England teams to cricket in Britain, both as the focus of interest and drivers of revenue.  The point of central contracts was to improve playing standards.  On the original introduction of central contracts Simon Pack, then England International Teams Director, said: "Centrally contrac

An experiment.  I have a theory that most 20/20 games are 50/50 affairs.  Not that it's all down to luck (although luck I'm sure plays a part.) but because the margin of victory is normally a couple of sixes versus a couple of attempted sixes caught on the boundary.  If I'm right you should be able to make a small amount of money betting on 20/20 whenever a team is odds against. Looking at this weekend's 20/20s I get the following bets (courtesy of odds checker) Durham 6/5             Made £24 Leicestershire 6/4   Made £30 Warwickshire 13/8  Lost  £20 Lancashire 15/13     Lost £20 Middlesex 8/7         Lost £20 Kent 19/17              Lost20 Gloucestshire 11/10 Lost £20 Leicestershire 7/4 Made £35 Kent 6/5                Made £24 I'll have £20 on each and update on Monday. Made to end Saturday £13. Sunday's games Durham 7/4      Lost £20 Essex  13/10     Made £26 Glamorgan 11/10 Made £22 Worcestershire 9/4 Lost £20 Sussex 16/13 Lost £20

Being a bit of a sad man I was listening to Sky's "Cricket Writers on TV" podcast   [Much improved by the return to a studio format.] There was an exchange around about the 38 minute mark: Paul Allot: "Ben Stokes is probably the best all rounder in the world." Neal Manthorp "Do you need to put the probably in there?" Paul Allot: "No I don't". The assertion that Stokes was the best all rounder in the world and by a distance wasn't challenged by the two other guests: Phil Walker of "All Out Cricket" and Tom Collomosse of "The Evening Standard." But the ICC  world rankings  have the top 5 all rounders as: 1.  Ravindra Jadeja 2. Shakib Al Hasan 3. Ravichandran Ashwin 4. Moeen Ali 5. Ben Stokes Career averages support the ICC rankings; Jadeja, Shakib and Ashwin all have test batting averages higher than their bowling averages Moeen and Stokes have test batting averages very simil

Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association have reached an agreement on player remuneration for a five year period starting on 30 June 2017(the deal is back dated).  The agreement means that Australia will tour  Bangladesh  later this month. The details of the deal seem to be  Australian cricketers get guaranteed payments over the 5 years of the agreement of between Aus $ 459 million and $500 million.   If Cricket Australia's revenues exceed $1.67b but are less than $1.96b the players' get 19% of the excess.   For revenues above $1.96b the players apparently get a 27.5% share. The 27.5% share of revenues above $1.96b is  in the  Sydney Morning Herald  and providing it is accurate would suggest the players got a good deal.  There are two lines in the accounts of Cricket Australia: "Players and Umpires", and "Team Performance", which could include players' remuneration. Allowing for this uncertainty the current share o