EXCLUSIVE: Jason Roy is set to become the first English player to opt out of an ECB central contract to sign a two-year, £300,000 deal with the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the new Major League cricketing United United States … despite the risk for its place in the World Cup
- Roy’s deal with the Los Angeles Knight Riders is worth £300,000 over two years
- Hard-hitting hitter wants to push ahead with deal despite danger to England berth
- Roy lost his T20 World Cup spot last year but remains in the 50+ category
Jason Roy is set to cancel his central ECB contract in order to sign a lucrative deal to play Major League Cricket in the United States this summer.
The World Cup-winning opening striker has been offered a two-year deal worth around £300,000 by the Los Angeles Knight Riders, which he wants to pursue despite the risk it could jeopardize his place in the England squad for this year’s 50+ title defense. in India.
Roy is currently hired by the ECB under a so-called incremental deal until October, which gives the governing body some control over his schedule.
In a historic move, Roy would become the first English player to opt out of a central contract in order to pursue alternative ambitions with a Twenty20 franchise.
Roy was a mainstay of England’s white-ball revolution under Eoin Morgan, which culminated in winning the 50-year-old World Cup for the first time at Lord’s four years ago but lost his place in the team last summer and was dropped from the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup last fall, which England won.
Jason Roy plans to leave his central England contract to sign a lucrative two-year deal with new Major League Cricket franchise Los Angeles Knight Riders
Roy has been a regular presence at the top of command for England in cricket for 50 years
The 32-year-old was, however, called up to the 50-plus squad after the short-form World Cup and played nine one-day internationals against Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh last week. last winter. He therefore remains in the running to be named in Matthew Mott’s 50. -on the World Cup team this fall.
Roy has held talks with the ECB over the past few weeks with an announcement on his future expected shortly.
As Major League Cricket clashes with the County Championship and T20 Blast, it is understood the ECB are only ready to grant Roy the required no-objection certificate to play if they rescind his additional deal.
While Roy retains ambition to play for England, the security of the two-year offer he received from the LA Knight Riders is a big factor in his reasoning.
Mail Sport first revealed US interest in Roy, who would become the first English player to sign up for the new league which has already signed other foreign stars such as Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje.
The ECB told Roy that his decision will not impact Mott’s selection plans or the next round of central contracts, which will be awarded in October.
With the Ashes starting next month, England have no white ball matches until the series against New Zealand and Ireland in August and September, when Roy will be back in the country as he is also signed to play for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred.
Roy’s willingness to walk away from a deal with the ECB illustrates the threat to international cricket posed by the rise of the T20 franchise leagues, fueled by the huge growth of the IPL.
Roy played a key role when England won the 50th World Cup in 2019
He played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the last Indian Premier League
Mail Sport revealed earlier this month that Mumbai Indians are preparing to offer Jofra Archer a 12-month deal which would override his ECB deal and Roy’s decision reflects that trend as the LA Knight Riders belong to his IPL team, Kolkata Knight Riders.
The first Major League Cricket to kick off in Texas this summer poses a particular threat to English cricket due to scheduling, with Mail Sport revealing on Wednesday that the new competition will run until August next year, resulting in a clash with the Hundred.
Four of the six franchises in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Texas and Washington are owned by IPL teams which offer salaries of up to £300,000, compared to a maximum rate of £125,000 in the Hundred.
