"Better off having seat at table than being...": England's Reece Topley on multiple franchise deals
Aug 01, 2023
London [UK], August 1 : England's left-arm seamer Reece Topley thinks that Major League Cricket's (MLC) first season has opened up "a career path that probably outlives your international career" and that the more international leagues like this there are, the better it will be for the game worldwide.
Topley is recovering from freak injuries, including a twisted ankle that prevented him from participating in England's successful T20 World Cup campaign in 2022.
Such opportunities are not to be sniffed at for Topley, whose impressive performances in England's white-ball team last year made him a similarly hot ticket on the franchise circuit. This is especially true given his injury-prone nature and the knowledge that, at the age of 29, he has a finite shelf-life as an elite-level cricketer.
"When it was just the Big Bash, the Blast and the IPL, it was getting quite stagnant. These [new T20] tournaments have almost introduced a fresh air and there's an importance to keep reinventing and to strive as a business for the leagues themselves. So I think it's healthy competition," Reece Topley was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
He is, however, already considering his options for the 2024 competition, and he has decided on the current state of the sport for himself amid reports that fellow English players like Jofra Archer are being lined up for lucrative year-round contracts to represent their franchises in multiple T20 tournaments.
"If you don't go to the MLC, it's almost like you're turning down another career path that probably outlives your international career," he said. "I don't mean that it's more important than playing for England. But all-year contracts will come into the game. And I think that you're almost better off having a seat at the table than being left behind, because it's going to happen. And I think you need to almost embrace the change," he added.
"We've crossed that bridge now. The players' feet will do the talking with what they prioritise themselves. I mean, the fees are no secret. I suppose you can find out how much someone's willing to sell their soul for," England pacer said.
"It looks a really good setup, to be honest. Obviously there's been huge investment, which is nice to see. It's come to fruition almost from being a seed in someone's brain, and to judge by the people that have watched it, it looks a really good product. Personally, I think the more tournaments there are in countries, the better," he added.
