England’s leading women cricketers are to receive a sizeable wage increase following last year’s triumphant World Cup campaign.
The England and Wales Cricket Board announced 10 members are set for a 50 per cent pay rise while there is a 40 per cent increase going into the overall payment pool.
Director of women’s cricket, Clare Connor explained how the new deals will take effect for Heather Knight’s team – who beat India in a thrilling World Cup final at Lord’s last year – and others with central contracts.
“Any increase to a player’s salary is judged on performance and potential,” Connor said in an interview on the ECB website.
“Ten of our contracted squad will be receiving an increase of 50 per cent or more.”
Connor believes further increases are likely to be forthcoming too in the future.
“At the moment it’s not about equal pay [for women], but we should be bold – I’m always looking to be ahead of other women’s team sports at international level – and demonstrate a commitment to closing that gap with a bit of urgency,” she added.
“The objective is to get to a situation in 2020 – when the new investment in the game kicks in – whereby the players are paid double what they were paid when they won the World Cup.
“It’s the direction of travel that’s important.
“We have also introduced a bonus pot for series wins for the first time.
“We now have 22 contracted players – more than ever before – including three rookie contracts [Katie George, Alice Davidson-Richards and Freya Davies] to help bridge the gap between the academy and senior England level.”
The Professional Cricketers Association, which had been negotiating the new contracts on behalf of the players for the past six months, welcomed Friday’s news.
It said in a statement: “The Professional Cricketers’ Association is pleased at the outcome of the new England Women’s contracts.
“Following the successful World Cup campaign of last summer, the overall salary paid to the players has increased by 40 per cent with 10 players seeing performance-related increases of 50 per cent or more.
“The new contracts cover the period to the end of 2019. Negotiations for the period from 2020 have already begun between the ECB and the PCA.”
Knight added: “I am really pleased with the progress over the past six months. The improvements in all areas of the contracts better reflect the professional nature of the women’s game in 2018.”
