Yorkshire Cricket Club players, staff agree to take 20 per cent pay cut

Yorkshire [UK], May 16 (ANI): The English County Cricket Club Yorkshire has announced that the club's employees have agreed for 20 per cent reductions in salary due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
These reductions, which will come into force from June 1, will affect staff across the Club and players, Yorkshire Cricket Board, Yorkshire Cricket Foundation and Pro Coach.
Moreover, for fair apportionment senior employees will undergo higher percentage cuts on their salary.
"We do not take decisions such as these lightly, but now is the time to take drastic steps. The staff and players were consulted earlier this week and their reaction to the news has been fantastic," said Mark Arthur, the Yorkshire CCC Chief Executive in an official statement.
"Although these are unprecedented times, as a collective we are doing everything that we can to steer Yorkshire Cricket through these uncharted waters," he added.
On 6th April, a large proportion of staff were placed on furlough leave to ease the financial burden placed on the Club.
However, with continued uncertainty over what form cricket will take this summer, further steps have been taken to ensure the Club's survival.
Also, the Club had earlier cancelled the contract of three overseas players, including the contract of Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, in April.
"We are in regular contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board who are working hard to find ways of staging cricket in a safe environment this summer," said Arthur.
Currently, all cricket action across the world has come to a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ECB had stated that no form of cricket will be played in the United Kingdom till July 1. However, the board is looking at playing a Test series against West Indies behind closed doors in the month of July. (ANI)