Jason Roy looks set to become the first England player to withdraw from a national contract for a franchise deal with the batter poised to sign for Los Angeles Knight Riders in USA-based tournament Major League Cricket.
Roy has reportedly been offered in the region of £300,000 for the first two seasons of MLC, with the debut campaign to be held in July.
The opener, part of the squad that won the 2019 50-over World Cup on home soil, is on an incremental deal with England having lost his full contract after slipping out of favour in the T20 international format.
Roy’s incremental deal, which expires in October, is worth around £66,000 a year.
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Watch the best moments from England opener Roy’s brilliant 79-ball century against South Africa in Bloemfontein in January
The Surrey player would not be ruled out of England contention should he cancel his agreement and remains an important player in the one-day international format ahead of his country’s title defence in India in October and November.
Roy scored his 11th and 12th ODI centuries this winter, hitting 113 in South Africa in January and then 132 in Bangladesh in March.
Major League Cricket does not clash with any England white-ball internationals – Jos Buttler’s side play their first limited-overs game of the summer against New Zealand on August 30 – but will be played at the same time as County Championship and Vitality Blast fixtures.
Roy is set to return to England to play in The Hundred for Oval Invincibles in August.
Roy’s Surrey team-mate Reece Topley, also on an England incremental deal, is reportedly being targeted by MLC as well.
When news emerged of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians potentially offering Jofra Archer a year-round deal to control his playing schedule, England Test coach Brendon McCullum told SENZ Radio in New Zealand: “The last few years, there’s been a shifting of the sand somewhat around international cricket.
“We’d be completely naive to think that players would turn down huge amounts of money on long-term contracts for a lot less work in these T20 leagues because they should be playing international cricket.
“Those days are fast approaching to be over. It’s definitely a shifting landscape and you’ve just got to be fluid.
“You’ve got work with these players, work with these leagues and try and allow ideally players to have their cake and eat it because you want your best players playing.”
