Cricket has become one of the most followed sports in many countries. The game also brings a lot of glamour and money. In this era, once you have played cricket at the highest level you are quite assured of a financially stable future even after you bid farewell to the game.
With a variety of T20 leagues including the IPL, PSL, and BBL going around, money comes easily to the players nowadays. There is a lot of business and marketing associated with the game now which has made the sport global and hence a lot of money is involved.
However, the situation was not like this only a few years ago. Earnings from cricket didn’t mean that the players can sit and eat for the rest of their lives. There have been some instances where some players have hit poverty due to their bad habits like match-fixing etc. Many players have also gone onto becoming bankrupts due to various reasons.
Here Are 5 cricketers who went from stardom to poverty in a blink of an eye:
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1. ADAM HOLLIOAKE
All-rounder Adam Hollioake made his ODI debut for England on 31st August 1996 against Pakistan. Adam played 35 One Day Internationals for England in which he bagged 32 wickets and 606 runs at an average of 25.25. However, his International career lasted only a couple of years and Adam went on to play his last match for England in 1999.
After playing his last representative cricket in 2007, Adam moved to Australia to take care of his family business. Initially, the business was extremely successful and made a huge profit but then as the recession hit the world in late 2008, it weakened the financial position of the business.
The company was dissolved in 2009 and in 2011 Adam Hollioake was declared bankrupt. Adam then took up Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to earn his daily bread and take care of his family and children. He is one of the few cricketers who went from stardom to poverty.
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2. GRAEME POLLOCK
Former South African cricketer Graeme Pollock was widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers produced by South Africa. With 2256 Test runs in just 23 matches, Adam was also one of the best to have played the game. Graeme was diagnosed with colon cancer and was also hit by Parkinson’s disease.
Graeme Pollock’s brokerage business failed terribly and he suffered a loss which was close to 250,000 dollars. Pollock was also in danger of losing his house and suffered a heart- attack. In 2014, Graeme Pollock’s agent, Basil O’ Hagan requested the BCCI and IPL to help the former cricketer.
“Financially, Graeme is fighting to keep the wolves from his door. It”s really sad to see someone who brought so much joy to cricket, in this position,” said Basil O’ Hagan.
The world will remember Graeme Pollock for his immense contribution towards the game.
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3. PAUL STRANG
Former Zimbabwe cricketer Paul Strang was one of the finest leg spinners the country ever had. Strang made his Test debut against Sri Lanka where he picked 3 wickets and conceded 65 runs in the first innings. He was a regular part of Zimbabwe playing 11 until political turmoil affected him which forced him to stay away from the game.
Paul Strang faced heavy financial losses and was thrown into the prison for rebelling which made him attempt suicide as well. However, Paul didn’t give up and took up yoga to change his fate. Paul is currently travelling the world to teach the values of yoga.
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4. MATTHEW SINCLAIR
Australian born New-Zealand cricketer, Matthew Sinclair is known to score a double ton in his Test debut against West Indies. Matthew made his ODI debut against Australia in 2000. After having a promising start to his career, Matthew struggled to be a regular part of the team in both Tests and ODIs.
Following his retirement from cricket completely in 2013, Matthew struggled even harder to get himself a job. Matthew managed to earn the bread for the family by getting a job of a real-estate salesman.
“I had to put myself out there; a young family, and your Indian readers, where cricketers are stars, probably won’t understand, but there you go. Life isn’t all milk and honey, mate,” said Matthew Sinclair.
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5. CHRIS CAIRNS
Former New-Zealand ODI captain Chris Cairns, who made his debut in one-day internationals in 1991 against England. Chris, in his 62 Test matches amassed 3320 runs with an average of 33.53 and took 218 wickets. Cairns was instrumental in NZ winning the ICC Knock-Out Trophy in 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya with his cracking century in the finals against India.
Post his retirement, Chris worked in Dubai as a diamond merchant in 2010. In March 2012, Chris successfully sued former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi in a liberal case. However, on 14 September 2013, Chris was charged with perjury in England.
With the costs of legal proceedings hitting his family, Chris took up the job of cleaning bus shelters to make the ends meet. As a result, he is one of the few cricketers who went from stardom to poverty.