Australian cricketers set for financial windfall after big hike in central contracts

Melbourne: Australia’s men and women cricketers are set for a financial windfall after Cricket Australia announced substantial hike in their central contracts. [caption id=“attachment_3345402” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Australia players celebrate their win over New Zealand in the 2nd ODI in Canberra in December 2016. AFP[/caption] While Australia’s male players are yet to agree to the deal put on table, a report in Cricket Australia’s website indicates that international players through match fees, performance bonuses and Big Bash League (BBL) contracts could earn up to A$1.45 million. “Australia’s male players also look set to benefit from the yet-to-be-agreed deal, with the average annual retainer for international men expected to increase to A$816,000 by 2021. Including KFC Big Bash League contracts, match fees and performance bonuses, that figure is expected to reach $1.45m by the conclusion of this MOU,” the report in cricket.com.au states. “Domestic male players will also have their annual income increased by nearly a fifth, with their average salary to reach A$235,000, up from A$199,000 for the current financial year.” But it was a big day for Australia’s women cricketers. “Australia’s professional women’s cricketers are set to be included in the new MOU between CA and the ACA for the first time, with the average salary of both international and domestic female players set to jump by 125 percent. “The average annual salary of Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars players is set to jump from $79,000 to $179,000 under the new proposal, with that figure expected to reach $210,000 by 2021. “We are pleased that the Australian Cricketers Association agrees with us that women, for the first time, should be part of the MOU, and we have proposed a financial model that has gender equity at its heart,” said CA chief executive James Sutherland in a statement. “We have placed the emphasis on increasing the guaranteed amount that the men will receive, rather than rely on any projected increase in revenue,” Sutherland said in a statement.