Top ECB executives set for bonus despite tough times

London, Aug 24 (IANS) Despite job cuts within the organisation due to Covid-19, the top executives of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), including chief executive officer Tom Harrison and managing director of The Hundred competition Sanjay Patel, are expected to share a projected £2.1m bonus amount.There were 62 job cuts last year in the ECB. The Guardian newspaper has reported that CEO Harrison, who was paid £5,12,000 last year despite voluntary pay cut, and Patel are among the recipients of the bonus money.ECB has said that the bonus is a "retention tool for key senior leaders" to "reward and encourage the long-term performance and growth of the organisation/game". The ECB is looking to improve its financial position after a disappointing Covid-affected 2020. It has looked upto The Hundred to improve its financial position. Harrison has looked optimistic and has said that the current year has seen improvement. "[The losses last year were] punishing for the game. There's an impact on our ability to do all of the things we wanted to do… including infrastructure funds, and plans for increasing the [ECB] reserves have suffered a setback," he was quoted as saying in the paper. "This year has so far been a good recovery. Given limited crowds for the Blast and early season audiences there will still be a significant impact on the county game. But it feels like we are emerging from the Covid crisis."
--IANS kh/