Some of England women’s centrally contracted players have agreed to take a reduced salary over the course of the next few months.

It had been reported that the ECB would not advise players to take such decisions, but the players are thought to have taken this decision in an effort to contribute to the greater good.

The reduced salaries have been agreed in line with coaches and support staff, whilst the England men’s team have also pledged a donation of £500,000, which is the equivalent of a 20% pay cut.

The full details of this donation are yet to be released, but with the season not scheduled to start until May 28th at the earliest, further wage cuts may indeed be necessary. Senior members of staff including chief executive Tom Harrison, have taken 25% pay cuts themselves.

This news comes after health security Matt Hancock urged premier league footballers to “play their part” and “take a pay cut.” Whilst women’s sportspeople and indeed cricket players do not earn anywhere near the lucrative sums that premier league football players do, there seems a general consensus across the sporting community that all sports must do what they can.

Last week, England women’s rugby captain Sarah Hunter announced that she would be willing to take a pay cut even though England women players fall below the £30,000 threshold announced by the RFU for taking pay cuts.

Players, staff, coaches across all sports will undoubtedly continue to be affected by this pandemic, and all may yet have to face further wage reductions. What is clear however, is the sense that in the sporting world at least, everyone is in this together.