Australia’s women cricketers have been rewarded with big pay rises as they prepare their bid to add 2013 women’s Ashes glory to their current World Cup and world T20 titles.
Cricket Australia (CA) has announced a restructuring of the contracting system for women’s international and state cricket which will make national team members some of the best paid female athletes in the country.
The top player retainer increases from $15,000 to $52,000 and the minimum retainer increases from $5,000 to $25,000.
With tour payments also increasing from $100 to $250 per day – and 85 tour days within the next year – the country’s top female cricketers can earn $70,000 to $80,000 in the next 12 months.
CA chief executive James Sutherland announced the changes as captain Jodie Fields’ 15-player national squad was named to defend the women’s Ashes crown in England in August.
He said the changes were recognition of the time and effort the national team had devoted to becoming the No.1 team in the world in all formats.
Their success had led to unprecedented media coverage and helped drive an increase in female cricket participation by 18 per cent in the past 12 months, taking the total to 180,000 participants.
“We are still working towards the day when Australia’s female cricketers will be able to earn a fulltime, professional living from cricket,” said Sutherland.
“But the performances of our female stars justify this step and the day will come when future, fulltime professional female cricketers will look back and thank those who went before them.”
The Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) welcomed the CA announcement of the funding boost for CA and domestic contracted female players, with $1.59 million committed for the 2013-14 season.
“The move will see significant increases in retainers for CA-contracted players while all domestic contracted players will receive retainers – the first time this has happened across the board for all players and teams,” said ACA chief executive Paul Marsh.
Australian women’s Ashes squad: Jodie Fields (capt), Alex Blackwell (vice-capt), Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Sarah Elliott (Test only), Holly Ferling, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Julie Hunter, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani.
The 14 players chosen for the national contract list for 2013-14: Alex Blackwell, Jess Cameron, Sarah Coyte, Holly Ferling, Jodie Fields, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Julie Hunter, Jess Jonassen, Meg Lanning, Erin Osborne, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Elyse Villani.