Money gets better for women cricketers
Two South Australians have made it to the list of Cricket Australia’s women contracted players in an era where payments are starting to rise.
Megan Schutt and Bridget Patterson join senior players Jodie Fields, Meg Lanning and multi-code star Ellyse Perry on the list, with each contract worth between $25,850 and $54,600.
Lanning, who captained Australia to the World Twenty20 win, said the growing value of the contracts helped grow the women’s game.
“We were on five to 15 thousand a couple a of years ago so the jump’s been big,” he said.
“It’s a good reward for time and effort put in – we’ve had a fair amount of success over the last two years.”
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Fast-bowler Schutt has retained her Southern Stars contract and will be looking to continue to enhance her game with County side Nottinghamshire in England during the winter.
“It’s great that she has retained her spot and playing in England during the winter will further mature her as a player; hopefully that sets her up for a really good summer,” said South Australian Scorpions coach Andrea McCauley said.
Patterson has been named in the Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars squad for the first time, a development squad aimed to complement the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars squad and provide elite training and playing opportunities.
Her selection follows a successful tour of Sri Lanka with the Shooting Stars squad in February, playing two ODI and two T20 matches against Sri Lanka’s Women’s A team.
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Having recently made the move to Adelaide from Kangaroo Island, 20-year-old Patterson has been touted as a player to watch by McCauley.
“I think it’s really exciting; she has worked really hard and had a good experience when she went to Sri Lanka earlier this year,” she said.
“Her move to Adelaide is going to benefit her game and allow her to access more coaching and increase her training; who knows how good she is going to be.”
The 2014-15 international schedule includes home series against Pakistan and the West Indies, each of which will comprise One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 matches.
Rachael Haynes was a noteable omission from Cricket Australia’s contracts list.
Haynes, the left-handed NSW batter, topped Australia’s batting average at the 2013 World Cup and was named player of the domestic final, taking 3-20 and scoring the winning runs with 33 not out.
But selectors could find no place for her among 15 players to receive 2014/15 playing contracts.
Women’s national selection committee chairwoman Julie Savage said Haynes had “not reached the heights she is capable of”.
“As she is a very determined and talented cricketer, we are confident we will see more of her on the international stage in future,” Savage said.
Haynes did not feature in Australia’s successful 2014 World Twenty20 tournament and failed to score prolifically during the domestic summer.
Contracted players: Alex Blackwell (NSW, 30 years old), Nicole Bolton (WA, 25), Jess Cameron (Vic, 24), Sarah Coyte (NSW, 23), Rene Farrell (ACT, 27), Holly Ferling (Qld, 18), Jodie Fields (Qld, 29), Alyssa Healy (NSW, 24), Julie Hunter (Vic, 30), Jess Jonassen ((Qld, 21), Meg Lanning (Vic, 22), Erin Osborne (NSW, 24), Ellyse Perry (NSW, 23), Megan Schtt (SA, 21), Elyse Villani (Vic, 24).
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