Cricket Australia female player pay rises can make them highest paid women’s team in country
APRIL 6, 201610:35PM
Eliza Sewell
The Daily Telegraph
AUSTRALIA’S women cricketers have received a big pay rise after Sunday’s World T20 final, but back-room haggling over money continues to cost female players.
Cricket Australia yesterday announced it had increased its commitment to the country’s top female players to $4.23 million for next season, up from $2.36 million.
The boost means the best Southern Stars players will earn more than $100,000 a season, making them easily the highest-paid Âfemales representing Australia in a team sport.
Australia’s top female cricketers will now earn in excess of $80,000.
Australia’s top female cricketers will now earn in excess of $80,000.Source:AP
The top echelon, led by captain Meg Lanning and all-rounder Ellyse Perry, earn tens of thousands more from Cricket Australia for marketing.
Lanning and Perry starred with the bat in the Stars’ loss to the West Indies in the T20 final and the pair spearheaded last summer’s stunning debut of the Women’s Big Bash League.
But the women remain a long way behind their male counterparts on pay. Skipper Steve Smith, opener David Warner and quick Mitchell Starc are estimated to earn $2 million-plus under the men’s contract list that was Âfinalised last week.
In the women’s negotiations, the Australian Cricketers’ Association offered for the male players to contribute an additional $1.4 million from their cash pool to the female pool if certain terms and conditions were met.
While the ACA believes that has been rejected after yesterday’s announcement, CA said it was still negotiating.
“There’s some positive changes announced today, we just don’t believe the terms and conditions go far enough,†ACA chief executive Alistair Nicholson said.
“We presented a proposal to Cricket Australia that would provide a more comprehensive working environment for the players, including improved payments, provision for off-field support, and it involved a significant contribution from the male players.
“That was open for negotiations, but on today’s announÂcement, that’s clearly been rejected.â€
CA said while the pay deal had been agreed with the ACA, the extra $1.4 million was still being negotiated.
“Cricket Australia is very open to the ACA contributing those funds to women’s cricket and is still in discussions,†a CA spokesperson said.
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Elyse Villani is among the contracted female players for 2016-17.Source:AP
The women’s national team top retainer rises from $49,000 to $65,000, with the minimum contract more than doubled from $19,000 to $40,000.
The retainers do not Âinclude tour fees and match payments, which can top $20,000.
The WBBL maximum payment has risen from $10,000 to $15,000, with the minimum up from $3000 to $7000.
Sixteen players are on the national contract list, including Victorians Lanning, Kristen Beams and Elyse Villani.
The ACA will pay $500,000 over two years to cover players’ private health insurance.
The push for a larger share of the game’s revenue will continue in negotiations for a new Memorandum of Understanding, due to take effect in June next year.
Cricket Australia wants the women to take a share of the men’s 26 per cent of total CA revenue ($380.8 million last finÂancial year), while the players’ association doesn’t want the men disadvantaged.
CA also announced its list of female contracted players for 2016-17 who are: Kristen Beams (Vic), Alex Blackwell (NSW), Nicole Bolton (WA), Lauren Cheatle (NSW) Sarah Coyte (SA), Rene Farrell (NSW), Holly Ferling (Qld), Grace Harris (Qld), Alyssa Healy (NSW), Jess Jonassen (Qld), Meg Lanning (Vic), Beth Mooney (Qld), Erin Osborne (ACT), Ellyse Perry (NSW), Megan Schutt (SA), Elyse Villani (WA).
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