Cricket Ireland awarded 17 full-time central contracts for 2025-26 paying estimated €30,000-€70,000 annually with band-based salary progression rewarding performance and multi-format availability.
Paul Stirling leads Irish earnings combining €60,000-€70,000 top-tier Cricket Ireland contract with county cricket deals at Middlesex and franchise tournament participation generating €100,000+ total annual income.
The 48-player contract system includes 17 men’s full-time deals, 11 women’s full-time contracts, plus 20 part-year, educational, retainer, and casual agreements.
Matthew Humphreys’ promotion to full-time status recognizes emerging talent while Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher maintain top-band positions supporting dual Test-ODI-T20I selection.
Check individual player biography and net worth information for Ireland’s cricket squad.
| Player Name | Positions Name |
| Curtis Campher | All-rounder |
| Gareth Delany | All-rounder |
| George Dockrell | All-rounder |
| Andy McBrine | All-rounder |
| Paul Stirling | All-rounder |
| Andrew Balbirnie | Batsman |
| Harry Tector | Batsman |
| Tim Tector | Batsman |
| Ross Adair | Batsman |
| James McCollum | Batsman |
| Lorcan Tucker | Wicket-keeper |
| Peter Moor | Wicket-keeper |
| Stephen Doheny | Wicket-keeper |
| Neil Rock | Wicket-keeper |
| Mark Adair | Bowler |
| Josh Little | Bowler |
| Craig Young | Bowler |
| Barry McCarthy | Bowler |
| Matthew Humphreys | Bowler |
| Ben White | Bowler |
| Graham Hume | Right-arm fast-medium bowler |
| Shane Getkate | Right-arm medium-fast bowler (All-rounder) |
| Fionn Hand | Right-arm medium-pace bowler |
Top 10 Highest-Paid Ireland Cricketers
Cricket Ireland’s banded salary structure creates €10,000 annual differences between tiers with top-band players earning estimated €60,000-€70,000 before county cricket supplements.
Stirling’s Middlesex T20 Blast deals add €30,000-€40,000 supplementing international contracts.
| Player | Role | Contract Type | Est. CI Salary | County/Franchise | Total Est. Earnings |
| Paul Stirling | Batsman | Full-time (Top band) | €65,000-€70,000 | Middlesex T20 | €100,000-€110,000 |
| Andrew Balbirnie | Batsman (c) | Full-time (Top band) | €60,000-€65,000 | Glamorgan (previous) | €80,000-€90,000 |
| Mark Adair | Fast bowler | Full-time (Top band) | €60,000-€65,000 | – | €75,000-€85,000 |
| Curtis Campher | All-rounder | Full-time (Top band) | €55,000-€60,000 | – | €65,000-€75,000 |
| George Dockrell | All-rounder | Full-time (Mid band) | €50,000-€55,000 | Somerset (previous) | €60,000-€70,000 |
| Harry Tector | Batsman | Full-time (Mid band) | €50,000-€55,000 | – | €60,000-€70,000 |
| Lorcan Tucker | Wicketkeeper | Full-time (Mid band) | €45,000-€50,000 | – | €55,000-€65,000 |
| Andy McBrine | All-rounder | Full-time (Mid band) | €45,000-€50,000 | – | €55,000-€65,000 |
| Matthew Humphreys | Spinner | Full-time (Lower band) | €40,000-€45,000 | – | €50,000-€60,000 |
| Gareth Delany | All-rounder | Full-time (Lower band) | €40,000-€45,000 | – | €50,000-€60,000 |
Stirling’s €100,000+ annual income stems from €65,000-€70,000 Cricket Ireland top-band contract plus Middlesex T20 Blast participation earning €30,000-€40,000 per season.
His veteran status since 2009 full-time professionalization places him in highest salary tier recognizing 300+ international matches across formats.
Balbirnie earned additional income through Glamorgan county stints before focusing entirely on Ireland captaincy responsibilities.
His €60,000-€65,000 Cricket Ireland contract includes captaincy premium estimated €5,000-€10,000 annually recognizing leadership duties across three formats.
Richest Ireland Cricketers by Net Worth
Limited franchise cricket access restricts Irish players’ wealth accumulation compared to Full Member nations.
Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien accumulated $1-2 million through 15+ year international careers supplemented by county cricket contracts.
| Player | Role | Estimated Net Worth | Age | Primary Wealth Source |
| Kevin O’Brien (retired) | All-rounder | $25M | 41 | Cricket + Commentary + Businesses |
| Paul Stirling | Batsman | $1.5M-$2M | 35 | CI + County cricket + T20 leagues |
| Andrew Balbirnie | Batsman | $1M-$1.5M | 34 | CI + County cricket |
| Curtis Campher | All-rounder | $350K-$600K | 26 | CI + Domestic tournaments |
| George Dockrell | All-rounder | $500K-$800K | 32 | CI + County cricket |
Stirling accumulated $1.5-2 million through Cricket Ireland contracts totaling €850,000 over 16 professional years (€50,000-€70,000 annually since 2009), Middlesex T20 Blast deals generating €450,000 combined, franchise tournament participation including Abu Dhabi T10, Euro T20 Slam (cancelled), and domestic Irish cricket worth €200,000. His property investments in Dublin area supplement cricket earnings.
Kevin O’Brien’s $25 million net worth stems from longer international career (2006-2022), IPL participation with Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders earning ₹1.5 crore total, county cricket stints at Nottinghamshire, Gloucestershire generating £600,000 combined, post-retirement commentary contracts with Sky Sports, and business ventures including coaching academies creating substantial wealth beyond active playing days.
Balbirnie built $1-1.5 million through Cricket Ireland contracts totaling €700,000 since 2016 full-time professionalization, Glamorgan county deals worth £180,000 across multiple seasons, Bangladesh Premier League participation (Khulna Tigers), and captaincy bonuses adding €50,000-€75,000 career total.
Cricket Ireland Central Contract Structure
Ireland operates tiered professional system paying €30,000-€70,000 across 17 full-time men’s contracts with banded progression creating €10,000 salary increments. Part-year, educational, retainer, and casual contracts support emerging talent and format specialists.
Cricket Ireland 2025-26 Contract Breakdown:
Full-Time Men’s Contracts (17 players – €30,000-€70,000): Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Andy McBrine, Matthew Humphreys, Craig Young, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Gavin Hoey, Ben White, Peter Moor.
Part-Year Contracts: Educational contracts for players balancing cricket with university studies, retainer contracts for specific series/tours, casual contracts offering summer-only engagement.
Band Structure: Six salary bands create €40,000-€70,000 range with €10,000 increments between tiers. Coaches and high-performance staff assign bands based on multi-format availability, performance metrics, and international experience.
Match Fees: ODI/T20I – €500-€1,000 per game, Test (if granted status) – €1,500-€2,000 estimated.
Bangladesh Cricket Board pays Tk 96 lakh ($9,056) Grade A annually versus Ireland’s €70,000 ($76,300) top tier, demonstrating competitive Associate Member compensation. Afghanistan’s ACB maximum $12,000 trails significantly behind Ireland’s professionalized system reflecting Cricket Ireland’s ICC funding allocation and government sports investment.
County Cricket and Franchise Earnings
English county cricket provides crucial supplementary income for Irish players when international schedules permit. T20 Blast contracts pay €25,000-€50,000 per season while Championship deals offer €40,000-€80,000 for red-ball specialists.
Irish Players in County Cricket 2025: Paul Stirling (Middlesex T20 – €35,000-€40,000), historical participation includes George Dockrell (Somerset), Andy Balbirnie (Glamorgan), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex career earnings £800,000+).
Limited T20 Franchise Access: Irish players eligible for CPL ($10,000-$25,000), Abu Dhabi T10 ($30,000-$50,000), Euro leagues, but restricted from IPL, BBL, PSL, SA20 creating limited franchise earning potential compared to Associate nations like Afghanistan, Namibia.
Global T20 Canada Participation: Irish players earned $15,000-$25,000 before league termination 2024, eliminating North American franchise opportunity.
Combined county cricket and franchise tournaments generate €30,000-€60,000 supplementary income for established Irish internationals. Stirling, Dockrell, and Balbirnie’s county participation created €400,000-€600,000 career earnings supplementing Cricket Ireland contracts totaling €700,000-€900,000 over professional tenures.
Tournament Bonuses and Incentive Structures
Cricket Ireland implements modest performance-based bonuses rewarding ICC tournament progression and bilateral series victories. T20 World Cup 2024 qualification distributed estimated €15,000-€25,000 per squad member beyond base contracts.
ICC Tournament Bonuses: World Cup qualification – €10,000-€20,000 per player, Super 12/knockout progression – €5,000-€15,000 additional, upset victories vs Full Members – €2,000-€5,000 individual match bonuses.
Bilateral Series: Series victories vs Associates – €3,000-€8,000 per player, wins against Full Members – €10,000-€20,000, whitewash achievements – €15,000-€25,000 recognizing historic accomplishments.
Individual Performance: Centuries – €1,000-€2,000, five-wicket hauls – €1,000-€2,000, Player of Series – €3,000-€5,000.
Captaincy Premiums: National captain receives €5,000-€10,000 annual supplement beyond band salary recognizing media obligations and leadership responsibilities.
Ireland’s 2007 World Cup upset victories over Pakistan and Bangladesh earned players estimated €25,000-€40,000 each through ICC prize money distribution and Cricket Ireland bonuses, representing largest single-tournament windfall in Irish cricket history before professionalization increased base salaries.
FAQs
Who is Ireland’s highest-paid cricketer?
Paul Stirling earns €100,000-€110,000 annually combining €65,000-€70,000 Cricket Ireland top-band full-time contract plus €30,000-€40,000 Middlesex T20 Blast participation. His total compensation surpasses teammates through county cricket supplementation unavailable to younger professionals.
How much does Cricket Ireland pay centrally contracted players?
Cricket Ireland pays 17 full-time players €30,000-€70,000 annually across six salary bands with €10,000 increments between tiers. Part-year, educational, retainer, and casual contracts provide €5,000-€25,000 for emerging talent and format specialists creating total annual compensation €35,000-€85,000 including match fees and bonuses.
Which Irish cricketers play county cricket?
Paul Stirling (Middlesex T20 – €35,000-€40,000 per season) currently maintains county contract. Historical participants include George Dockrell (Somerset), Andy Balbirnie (Glamorgan), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex £800,000+ career), Ed Joyce (Sussex £1.2M+ career) earning supplementary income €25,000-€80,000 annually when balancing Ireland commitments.
What is Paul Stirling’s total net worth?
Paul Stirling’s net worth stands at $1.5-2 million accumulated through 16-year Cricket Ireland contracts totaling €850,000, Middlesex T20 Blast deals generating €450,000 combined, franchise tournaments worth €200,000, and Dublin property investments. His 300+ international matches create Ireland’s most lucrative playing career.
Why do Irish cricketers earn less than Full Member nations?
Cricket Ireland’s €8-10 million annual operating budget from ICC grants and government funding limits player salary capacity. Full Member boards like ECB (£900,000 contracts), CA ($1.1M), BCCI (₹7Cr) operate €200-500 million budgets creating 10-15x higher compensation despite Ireland’s competitive performance achieving ODI/T20I status and regular World Cup qualification.
