On Monday, April 3, Cricket Australia revealed a new wage deal. All Australian women and Big Bash League players will get a big rise in income as a result of the deal. Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, will become the first cricketer to earn $3 million, while women’s team leader Meg Lanning might earn $1 million.
Professional women cricketers will earn a 66 percent wage raise under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
The top CA on a Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) contract can earn more than $800,000 per year. Meanwhile, they can earn more than $1 million as captain, in addition to revenues from the Women’s Premier League (India) and The Hundred (UK).
Male Cricket Australia players will be paid 7.5% more in the first year, then 2% more per year for the next four years. Cummins has a retainer of more than $2 million, with Cricket Australia receiving $3 million altogether.
Australian cricketer Pat Cummins earning to increase further
The next six CA contract holders will likely make $500,000 per year on average when paired with a WBBL retainer and revenues from other tournaments.
As the number of franchise Twenty20 leagues grows, Cricket Australia lifted the wage maximum for elite male BBL players from $2 million to $3 million per club.
Mike Baird, chairman of Cricket Australia, praised the new deal as a watershed moment in Australian cricket.
He remarked that the board is pleased to be able to help the country’s female athletes. He also added that they have maintained a commercial position for their male athletes in order for them to compete with the best in the globe.
“We’re proud today with what we’ve seen for the women’s game, a significant uplift to provide a pathway that other sports in Australia can only dream of, and we’ve also maintained a commercial position for our men players to compete with the best in the world,”
Baird said.
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