Half of English Cricketers Would Retire for IPL: End of National Loyalty?

The Professional Cricketers Association recently published the findings of a quite remarkable survey. According to their research, around half of English cricketers would consider "early retirement" in order to compete in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

The PCA asked 334 of England's top cricketers, including 15 members of the national side's touring party to New Zealand, half of whom said that they would turn their backs on England so that they could play in the IPL. The survey also revealed that 56 percent of those questioned believed that T20 would "threaten other forms of the game."

These statistics present worrying notions for the ECB. Especially with regard to their intolerant approach to any player choosing to compete in the IPL or rebel Indian Cricket League. The ECB's restrictions on the ICL currently stand at a 12-month county ban to anyone choosing to play in it.

Eighty-nine percent of those asked agreed with the statement that "freedom of movement should prevail with regard to the Indian cricket leagues," a fact indicating the weight of pressure on the ECB to overturn their laws threatening to disown any England player wanting to represent one of the eight IPL sides.

Are these opinions the beginning of the end for national loyalty in England's cricket team?

Probably not, at least if the ECB do what is expected of them and allow their players to play at least some part in next year's Indian Premier League.

If the current schedules are taken as a guideline, England's stars will be allowed around a week to compete in India, slightly less than the Australians were given prior to their West Indies tour.

However, what is clear is that money is beginning to speak louder and louder to players in cricket.

Where once players would do anything to maximize their national playing careers, many are now prepared to extinguish any hopes of further representing their country so that they can earn the vast sums offered in Twenty20 competition.

The ECB must heed the significance of this survey. When money talks, sportsmen listen.