James Vince, No-Objection Certificates and PSL: Why are ECB and county cricketers clashing over T20 leagues? | Cricket News

Hampshire’s James Vince has ditched red-ball cricket for 2025 and entered a lucrative Pakistan Super League deal, with the ECB making it clear they will clamp down on players pursuing exclusive T20 contracts while they have red ball deal with their circles.

Vince’s move comes at a time when the ECB and county players are embroiled in a dispute over the governing body’s new policy on No Objection Certificates (NOCs).

So what are NOCs? Why the ECB policy change? And who are most affected by this movement?

What is separating the ECB and the players?

Vince, along with a number of other English players, have sought clarity from the ECB on whether to be granted NOC to play in the Pakistan Super League and other T20 tournaments that will clash with the domestic summer.

Players reportedly reacted with fury in late November when the ECB announced a new policy for NOCs, which chief executive Richard Gould said was designed to “protect our game”.

The new policy will deny players NOCs for all overseas leagues that take place during the English summer, including the PSL, Caribbean Premier League and Major League Cricket in the US – with the notable exception of the Indian Premier League.

“We have to protect our wine,” Gould said. “When we have players under contract, we want to encourage them to stay and play in our competitions.”

The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) said at the time that they were blindsided by politics and that their sense of “genuine cooperation” with the ECB had disappeared.

There is also the threat of a legal challenge, citing trade restraint. “PCA’s legal team is currently completing a full review of the implementation of the policy,” she said in November.

Why doesn’t ECB allow players to play in PSL?

While the PSL was once a popular off-season competition for English players, its move to a new spot on the calendar – from April 8 to May 19 – means it now clashes with the four-day county championship competition.

Players on white-ball contracts with their counties will be granted NOCs for competitions that do not conflict with the Vitality Blast or Hundred, but none of the all-format contracts will.

Gould explained that the ECB’s tougher stance on NOCs has been introduced to prevent domestic competitions from being “undermined” by foreign leagues, as fears grow of a weakened domestic product if top players operate elsewhere.

Vince was contracted across all formats – captaining the club in four-day and T20 cricket – until, after being retained by the Karachi Kings in the PSL Draft on Monday, he changed his deal with the club to white-ball only, with that notice. following Wednesday.

The 33-year-old, who was part of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning squad, has endured a personally challenging 2024 following several attacks on his family home. As a result, his family has made the decision to move to Dubai.

Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, said: “We understand this announcement will be tinged with disappointment for many fans, but we hope everyone will join us in celebrating what (Vince) has given our club over many years and to support him as he fulfills his commitment to continue leading the Hawks into Vitality Blast 2025.”

Which players are affected?

Somerset dough Tom Kohler-Cadmore is someone who will be affected by the ECB’s new policy on NOCs.

With no changes so far to his all-format county deal, the 30-year-old will currently miss at least the first six league games of the season if he fulfills his PSL contract with Peshawar Zalmi.

Four other English players – Tom Curran (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Surrey), Sam Billings (Kent) and David Willey (Northamptonshire) – will participate in the PSL, but without any problem due to having the white ball only deals with the respective counties.

Some recent England internationals including Saqib Mahmud, Luke Wood AND George Gartonare currently on county contracts that mainly cover white-ball cricket but also contain ‘pay-as-you-play’ options for the Championship.

If they were to be drafted into a T20 league that conflicts with the domestic summer, they would not be given an NOC unless they withdrew from red-ball cricket.

Six England contract players reportedly registered for the PSL draft but were marked as “unavailable” in a long list sent to the franchises after the ECB clarified that it would not grant them NOCs.

This included Jonny Bairstow – who has not played for England since June – and Adil Rashid.

Hussain: Critical point in the balance between red and white ball

Sky Sports’ Nasser Hussain: “I was in Essex a few days ago and they were talking about Vince’s situation and the fallout.

“He’s not just a white-ball specialist – he’s a very, very good player with the red ball who’s been in his hands for a very long time – and he’s the club captain.

“I think he is coming towards the end of his professional career, so if there is an offer of £100,000 on the table from the PSL, he can only go as a freelancer and do what he can.

“Don’t you think indies like the West Indies, South Africa, even New Zealand are going, ‘welcome to our world?’

“Now we’re getting the fact that they’re coming to our summer. We will have the Americas Franchise (MLC) in the summer as well.

“It’s just that battle between exclusive white ball and red ball cricket. The red ball costs a lot to wear even at the county level.

“It’s a real critical point where the balance is at the moment between red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket.”