About Time

Alex Blackwell - career prolonged

To say that the proper financial support of our female cricketers is long overdue
is like saying Ellyse Perry is a handy sportswoman.

When the news was announced yesterday that Australia's elite cricketers would have a 350% increase in their basic pay scale and that touring pay would increase, those that stood to earn $80 000 a year from the game, finally saw the day in sight that they might be able to just play cricket and not have to worry about jobs and sponsorship to survive.

More importantly, Australia has followed the English lead and provided our best players with an incentive to stay in the game. Most female cricketers finish in their early thirties, no longer able to justify their time away and in full knowledge that they must secure a future.

Past players have been quick to applaud the changes, which include $100 000 to be given to each of the states to promote and support women's cricket - a paltry figure in comparison to the money Cricket Australia makes each year but its a start. James Sutherland has spoken about the 18% improvement in female participation rates owing almost entirely to the success of the current Australian side. The Southern Stars are ranked number one in every form of the game.

The same affect was obvious in Australian after the 1972 Ian Chappell led Ashes tour. Suddenly junior clubs swelled to burst and local councils struggled to provide enough grounds to their cricket associations. In the seniors, everyone grew droopy moustaches and played cover drives off the back foot. Fast bowlers lengthened their run ups and glared more often.

Spare a thought for Lisa Sthalekar, who has missed the boat, having just retired but was one of the loudest to applaud. The announcement will, however, prolong the already stellar career of former captain Alex Blackwell. No one who saw her fielding at the World Cup could imagine her retiring. Spare a further thought for those who went before, in the days when women's cricket was self-administered and self-funded. In the last twenty four hours, tales have emerged of the sacrifice it was to play for Australia. In 1973, players took leave without pay and had to pay for their own uniforms and meet much of the cost of touring.

Ellyse Perry

Money might be enough to win the argument between football and cricket which has raged for Perry. Clearly the marketing focal point among a bevy of high quality sportswomen, it seems inevitable that the real summer game should finally convince her to stay in her spikes and tear in with the new ball.

There remains an unanswered question amongst such good news for Australian sport.

Do our women qualify for the same superannuation scheme as our men? Only then will their futures be secure and their minds only on cricket.