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by Sa'adi Thawfeeq

The retainer fees of the national cricketers was cut back by 30 percent and emphasis placed on a 'earn as you win' scheme when the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) interim committee renewed their contracts for another year.

The old contract ended with the 2003 World Cup in March and the BCCSL renewed the contracts of 12 players giving them only 70 percent of what they earned from their previous contracts, but with enhanced match fee by US$500 plus a win bonus.

The contracted cricketers will get a match fee of US$ 1750 for a Test and US$ 1250 for a one-day international.

In addition, they will get a 50 percent increase on their playing fees for every win against any of the top four placed countries in Tests or ODIs, a 25 percent increase if they beat a country placed between the fifth and eighth positions, and none if they beat any country below eighth position.

"We had to seriously review the contracts when it came up for renewal because there was a hue and cry by the public at large over the payments the cricketers were making even when they were losing. Some players were earning large pay packets even without playing," said Interim Committee Chairman Hemaka Amarasuriya.

"This incentive based remuneration package is equitable and was acceptable to the players. They know that if they have a successful season they can earn more than the 30 percent which has been lopped off from their previous contract," he said.

Amarasuriya said that players who are likely to be selected for both Test and One-day internationals have been given put on contract, with Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne being an exception. Tillakaratne retired from one-day cricket after the 2003 World Cup.

Amarasuriya said the non-contracted cricketers will be paid their match fees and tour fees.

The Cricket Board and the players collided over advertising rights of players' payments before the 2003 World Cup early this year.

A compromise was arrived at well past the deadline, which the International Cricket Council (ICC) had set for the players to sign the World Cup contracts. As a result, the BCCSL was docked a considerable sum of money by the ICC for failing to meet the deadline.

The 12 contracted players are:

Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Marvan Atapattu, Chaminda Vaas, Mahela Jayawardene, Hashan Tillakaratne, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, Dilhara Fernando, Kumar Dharmasena, Prabath Nissanka and Tilan Samaraweera.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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