PCA launches player helpline

The Professional Cricketers’ Association has announced the launch of a confidential helpline for members to help them cope with the pressure to perform on the field and in life after cricket.

Such pressure can lead professional cricketers to suffer family or marital problems, fall victim to drug abuse or even attempt suicide, which has prompted the representative body of past and present first class cricketers in England and Wales to set up the new service.

The helpline, available to both current and former players, will be manned by experienced, professional counsellors and is available worldwide, 24 hours a day.

Taking on board feedback from PCA members, the service is designed to meet the unique demands faced by professional cricketers during their careers and when they leave the game.

Confidential one-to-one telephone support and assessment will be provided free of charge from qualified councillors and therapists who understand the vagaries of the profession.

The helpline is designed to sit alongside other schemes that assist members manage their lives during their careers and help them to better prepare for life after cricket.

Run jointly by the PCA and England & Wales Cricket Board, the Education and Personal Development Programme employs four performance lifestyle advisers who work with each academy and players in the game and the Placement & Learning Network which provides support programmes to cricketers by developing work-related skills.

Richard Bevan expects the hotline to be a valuable service © Getty Images

Richard Bevan, group chief executive of the PCA, said: “We’ve witnessed several tragic incidents involving players who’ve failed to cope with the intense pressure of the modern game.

“While until now the PCA has effectively supported players on an ad hoc basis, this new service will be available to all players and is completely confidential. We’re hopeful it’ll be used to resolve a variety of issues by a broad cross-section of players.”

Peter Gregory, chief medical officer of the ECB, said: “Professional cricketers are already supported by an excellent sports psychology team who help optimise sporting performance through mental skills. And while players also have medical support from various sources, this provides only basic psychiatric assessments and interventions and lacks the skilled counselling offered by clinical psychologists.

“The PCA helpline fills that gap through providing a dedicated and skilled team who will provide accessible counselling to distressed cricketers in need of support anywhere in the world.

“Having had detailed discussions with the professional staff of suppliers, Performance Healthcare, I am confident that the cricketers will get access to extremely beneficial services.”