Cricket Australia announced a restructuring of the contracting system for women's int'l and state cricket which will result in the Southern Stars being among the best paid female athletes in the country. The CA Board has approved a restructure of the contract system with a move from a three-tier payment retainer system to a squad ranking system. The top player retainer increases substantially from A$15,000 ($14,700) to A$52,000 and the minimum retainer increases from A$5,000 to A$25,000. The player tour payments also increase from A$100 to A$250 per day. With 85 tour days within the next year, players have the potential to earn more than A$20,000 in tour payment earnings on top of their contact retainer payments (CA). In Sydney, Lalor & Kogoy reported despite the pay raise, they "still lag behind their less successful male counterparts." Still, "no one was complaining." Captain Jody Fields said, "Today's announcement is great news for the Commonwealth Bank Southern Star players and also for state players. It is recognition for the hours of effort they put into their game." Lundy said the pay raise was "the biggest single step forward in the professionalisation of women's sport in Australia" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/22).
MARKETABLE STAR: Also in Sydney, Chloe Saltau reported cricket "will still have to share superstar Ellyse Perry, but stands a much greater chance of keeping her." Perry, who has won multiple World Cups and is "one of the most marketable female athletes in the land," stands to earn at least A$80,000 from cricket next year, before personal endorsements. Cricket Australia is "set to top up her playing contract and tour payments with fees for extra promotional work from a separate marketing pool." Perry said that she "believes the ability to make a proper living from cricket will make the summer game more appealing to young women in her position." Perry: ''Looking at women's sport as a viable career option it's a really positive step forward'' (THE AGE, 5/22).
