Australian WBBL and WNCL players can expect a significant pay rise this season. (Photo: Cricket.com.au - Twitter)
Australia’s female domestic cricket players will enjoy a significant pay rise this summer after today’s announcement by Cricket Australia and The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA).
With a $1.2 million cash injection, retainer payments for Weber WBBL – $800,000 and WNCL – $400,000 will increase.
After today’s announcement, the average retainer for a state-contracted women’s player will be increased by more than 22 percent to $40,829, while the average wage for a WBBL player is now $24,179, up more than 14 percent.
The average base salary for a woman who holds a contract in both the Weber WBBL and WNCL will jump to more than $65,000 this season, an increase of more than $10,000 from last summer.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said the announcement is another “important step in driving gender equity in our game”.
“Our players have made enormous sacrifices the last 18 months and we are extremely proud to have been able to work alongside the ACA to provide a $1.2 million increase in retainers for the Weber WBBL and the WNCL,” he said.
“The Weber WBBL continues to thrive and grow as one of the best women’s domestic sporting competitions in the world, and we can’t wait for the seventh edition, with every single game to be televised live for the first time.
“Investing at all levels of the women’s game is critical to its growth. Through initiatives such as the Grassroots Cricket Fund and Commonwealth Bank’s investment into women’s specific programs, we are encouraged to see more girls playing junior cricket every year.”
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Australian Women’s captain Meg Lanning said the success and prominence the sport receives hasn’t happened by accident and is a result of investing in female sport.
“Because of the success of the game over the past few years, in which women’s domestic cricket has played a crucial role, the ACA has worked with Cricket Australia to ensure this is reflected in an increase in player payments across both the WNCL and WBBL,” she said.
“This is further supported by a number of additional programs funded by the ACA to support our domestic players as they successfully transition to a more professional environment.”
ACA CEO Todd Greenberg said the investment in women’s cricket is fundamental to the continued growth of the game, and that the cricketers’ association see this announcement as an ongoing strategy of continuing to raise the bar for future female cricketers.
“Cricket continues to lead other sports in Australia, and indeed internationally – and this is largely because of the continued investment in the game that drives professionalism,” he said.
“The ACA has worked closely with Cricket Australia to continue to invest in the women’s game – with a focus on the domestic level – at a time when many other sports are having to curtail player payments.”
The increase in payment comes as the ACA and Cricket Australia reaches an agreement that will see $4 million invested to support players throughout the summer.
The investment also includes $320,000 for additional wellbeing support and $250,000 to allow players to bring partners and family with help to cope during extended periods away from home.
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