‘It’s cut-throat’ – what is it like to be a second XI cricketer?
Sheridon Gumbs, a 22-year-old batter, has secured a three-and-a-half-year contract with Leicestershire after an 18-month trial period spent playing second XI cricket on little more than the daily minimum wage. His story highlights the precarious existence of fringe professional cricketers, who compete for contracts on modest pay far removed from the riches of competitions like The Hundred, with no guarantee coaches will even communicate how they are progressing.
Gumbs, a former Surrey academy player and England Under-19 international, was released by Surrey and endured a brief, unsuccessful trial at Hampshire before nearly abandoning his cricketing ambitions altogether. He persevered through his uncertain spell at Leicestershire, earning runs and interest from rival counties along the way, and has now been rewarded with a long-term deal just days before The Hundred began, in which top earners such as Harry Brook can earn £465,000 for a month's work.
- Sheridon Gumbs signs long-term Leicestershire deal after 18-month trial
- Second XI players often earn just over £100 a day
- His path included setbacks at Surrey and Hampshire before this breakthrough
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Second XI cricket is the reserve team for English county cricket clubs, serving as both a development pathway and a source of competition for players trying to establish themselves professionally. Despite being professional cricketers, second XI players typically earn wages little more than the daily minimum, leaving them in financially precarious circumstances.
Players in second XI cricket face significant uncertainty, with limited visibility of how they are progressing and no guarantee of advancement or improved pay. This stands in stark contrast to top-tier professional cricket, where elite players can earn hundreds of thousands of pounds in major competitions like The Hundred.
Second XI cricketers are often young professionals with significant credentials, including academy graduates and international representatives at junior level. Their stories illustrate the difficult path many face in pursuing professional cricket, where talent and early promise do not necessarily translate into financial security or guaranteed opportunities.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Second XI cricketers are talented professionals working in precarious conditions for near-minimum wages with uncertain futures and minimal feedback from coaches about their progress. The stark contrast between Gumbs' eighteen-month struggle and elite players earning £465,000 in a month underscores a system where developmental players bear enormous personal risk whilst clubs hold all discretionary power. If the sport truly values developing young talent, it should ensure aspiring professionals receive fair compensation, genuine communication about their pathway, and dignity in their working conditions rather than leaving them in financial and professional limbo.
The case against
Second XI cricket is fundamentally a trial and developmental phase, not equivalent to established professional cricket, and naturally commands lower pay reflecting its character as competitive selection rather than guaranteed work. The reward structure actually incentivises excellence: Gumbs' perseverance was recognised with a valuable three-and-a-half-year contract, demonstrating that the system can and does advance deserving players. The disparity between developmental and elite cricket reflects genuine market differences in revenue and audience, and maintaining modest wages for developmental squads allows clubs to invest in developing young talent across a wider pool without guaranteeing success to all, which is standard across competitive sports globally.