england batsman James Vince has criticized the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for its controversial No Objection Certificate (NOC) policy, accusing the governing body of double standards. The policy was introduced in November by the board. Its main feature is that it restricts players’ participation in overseas competitions that overlap with the English domestic season, such as the Pakistan Super League (PSL)while granting an exemption for the Indian Premier League (IPL). The politician has come under scrutiny for her apparent favoritism toward certain leagues. The latest addition among critics of the board’s controversial policy is Vince, who launched a vehement critique of the new rule.
James Vince denounces the ECB’s favoritism towards the IPL
Vince has been part of the England team that won the ODI World Cup 2019 and has captained Hampshire in English county cricket. However, the 33-year-old has played domestic cricket for several teams in various T20 leagues. His association with the PSL dates back to the 2016 season, when he was signed by Kings of Karachi. The England batsman has featured in every season since.
His association with Pakistan’s elite T20 league was the reason for his frustration with the ECB’s decision. Pointing out the ECB’s double standard in not granting NOC players to play in the PSL, Vince lashed out at the board during a discussion with ESPNcricinfo.
“The PSL is a shorter competition, so if you are going to play in it, you will probably miss less domestic cricket than if you go to the IPL. So that was a big issue where it just didn’t seem right.” Vince said.
Vince further speculated that the different treatment of IPL and PSL could be related to the ECB’s relations with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He suggested that politics could be influencing the ECB’s decision-making process, and that external factors could shape its policies.
“I guess it has to have something to do with the relations between the ECB, the PCB and the BCCI.” Vince opined, pointing out favoritism within the ECB.
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Vince bids farewell to Test cricket to focus on white-ball format
Furthermore, Vince recently announced his retirement from Test cricket. Their decision was largely due to family considerations. After unexplained attacks on his home in Hampshire last year, his wife, Amy, and two young children decided to move to Dubai. This move made it impractical for Vince to continue playing in the County Championship, not least because committing to the full English domestic season would have significant tax implications.
However, the 33-year-old has pointed out that the ECB’s NOC policy was also the driving force behind his decision to quit red-ball cricket. Vince further warned that due to the ECB’s decision, more players would opt to leave the English domestic circuit and play league cricket abroad.
“When it was first mentioned, a WhatsApp group of players was created and there was a lot of discussion,” the initial feeling was that it was going to turn people away from red-ball cricket. It seemed like it was going to limit opportunities. The players were frustrated by this… There were some things there that [we] I really didn’t understand.” Vince mentioned.
Vince’s career in Test cricket with the national team was short-lived. The explosive batsman played only 13 Test matches for England and scored 548 runs for his national team.