James Vince, No Objection Certificates and the PSL: Why are the ECB and county cricketers fighting over T20 leagues? | Cricket news

Hampshire's James Vince has given up red-ball cricket for 2025 and penned a lucrative contract in the Pakistan Super League, with the ECB making it clear they are set to ban players who continue T20 franchise contracts while on red ball contracts with their counties.

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

So what is a NOC? Why did the ECB change policy? And who are the most influential in the movement?

What divides the ECB and players?

Vince, along with several other English players, have been seeking clarity from the ECB on whether they will be given a NOC to play in the Pakistan Super League and other T20 tournaments that are due to face the domestic summer.

Players reportedly reacted angrily at the end of November when the ECB announced a new policy on NOCs, which CEO Richard Gould said was designed to “protect our game”.

The new policy will see players denied an NOC for all overseas leagues taking place in England this summer, including the PSL, Caribbean Premier League and Cricket US Premier League – except Indian Premier League.

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

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

There is even a threat of legal challenge, citing trade restrictions. “The PCA's legal team is currently conducting a detailed investigation into the implementation of the policy,” they said in November.

Why is the ECB not allowing players to play in PSL?

While the PSL was once a popular off-season competition for English players, a move to a new slot in the calendar – April 8 to May 19 – means it is now going up against the County Championship four-day competition.

Players on white-ball contracts with their counties will receive NOCs for competitions that do not conflict with the Vitality Blast or the Hundred, but none on full-form contracts.

Gould explained that the ECB's tougher stance on NOCs was introduced to prevent domestic competitions from being “undermined” by overseas leagues, as there are growing fears of domestic output being reduced if the best players work elsewhere.

Vince had been under contract in all formats – captaining the club in four-day and T20 cricket – until, after being retained by the Karachi Kings in Monday's PSL Draft, he turned contract with the club to white ball only, with that news. continues Wednesday.

The 33-year-old, who was part of England's World Cup-winning 2019, 2024 team, endured a personally challenging 2024 following a series of attacks on his family home. As a result, his family has decided to move to Dubai.

Giles White, director of cricket at Hampshire, said: “We recognize that this news will be deeply disappointing for many fans but we hope that everyone will join us in supporting what (Vince) is doing. to celebrate what he has given our club over many years and support him as he fulfills his commitment to continue to lead the Hawks into the 2025 Momentum.”

Which players are affected?

Somerset batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore is anyone going to be affected by the ECB's new policy on NOCs.

So far unchanged from his in-form county contract, the 30-year-old is expected to miss at least the first six league games of the season if he is to fulfill his PSL contract by Peshawar Zalmi.

Four other English players – Tom Curran (Surrey), Chris Jordan (Surrey), Sam Billings (Cent) and David Willey (Northamptonshire) – to participate in the PSL, but without any issues because whiteball only deals with their own counties.

Several recent England internationals, incl Saqib Mahmood, Luke Wood and George Gartoncurrently on county contracts which primarily cover white-ball cricket but which also include 'pay-as-you-play' options for the competition.

If they were to be drafted into a T20 league that faces the domestic summer, they would not be given NOCs unless they retired from red-ball cricket.

Six major-contract players in England reportedly registered themselves for the PSL Draft, but were marked as “unavailable” on a long list sent to franchises after the ECB clarified it would not grant them a NOC.

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

Hussain: Critical point in 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 implications.

“He's not just a white-ball specialist – he's a very good red-ball player, churning out runs for them for a long time – and he's the captain of the club.

“I guess he's coming to the end of his professional career, so if there's an offer of £100,000 on the table from the PSL, he can just go as a volunteer and do what he can.

“Don't you think the likes of the West Indies, South Africa, and even New Zealand are going, 'welcome to our world?'

“We are now just finding out that they are coming into our summer. We also have the American franchise (MLC) this summer.

“It's just that battle between franchise white-ball and red-ball cricket. The red ball costs a lot to put on even at county level.

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