Overseas trio BJ Watling, Glenn Maxwell, and James Faulkner will no longer represent Lancashire this year as a mutual decision was made to terminate their contracts.
New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling was scheduled to feature in the first nine Specsavers County Championship fixtures while Australia pair Maxwell and Faulkner registered for the Vitality Blast.
However, cricket in the United Kingdom has been postponed until at least May 28, and the possibility of more disruptions led to Lancashire’s director of cricket Paul Allott getting in touch with the three players, with an agreement reached to cancel their deals for this season.
In further cost-cutting procedures, Lancashire, among a few counties so far not to place employees on the government furlough scheme, has decided that all staff will take a 20 percent pay cut in May, a measure unanimously agreed by all players.
NEWS: The contracts of the Club’s 2020 overseas signings have been mutually terminated, and we can confirm the current squad will take a 20% salary reduction for the month of May.
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 17, 2020
Allott stated: “I would like to thank BJ, Glenn, James, and their representatives for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision.”
“These are very challenging and unpredictable times for all counties both financially and operationally, and it’s clear the issues we face at the moment will affect the way we prepare for the domestic season.”
“The overseas player situation is a policy that has been discussed across the country, and we think it’s sensible to mutually agree with the players we had originally signed.”
“We will keep in touch with the players and their representatives, and as part of the agreement we’ve come to, we do have an option to sign them for the 2021 campaign.”
“We are taking a look at a condensed and truncated season, and while it is, of course, disappointing not to have any overseas players at our disposal. It does mean that we will be able to give our young and homegrown players increased opportunities.”
“I would also like to thank the current Lancashire squad for agreeing to a 20% salary reduction for May.”
