Australia Creates New Women’s T20 Tournament; Empowering Women’s Cricket For A Bright Future

In order to better align the WBBL with the BBL and fit into the expanding women’s cricket calendar, Cricket Australia [CA] has shortened the season to 40 games plus finals. Additionally, a new T20 competition based in each state will be established to complement the WNCL, Australia’s female 50-over competition, and provide more player opportunities for domestic players with higher payouts.

The announcements were made by CA as part of a ten-year Women and Girls Action Plan that aims to boost funding, enthusiasm, and involvement in women’s cricket with the specific goal of attempting to win gold medals when the sport is included in the Olympic games in 2028 and 2032.

The T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October, as well as a three-match women’s ODI series between Australia and India that begins in Brisbane on December 5, had reduced the window for this year’s tournament, as had long been anticipated.

In order to improve match scheduling and context, players and coaches had openly backed a shortened season that was in line with the BBL, which would not result in fewer games being broadcast on free-to-air television.

Reducing the overall number of opportunities for domestic players to participate was the main worry. However, California has come up with a solution: a brand-new state-based women’s T20 league that will coexist alongside the WNCL and might work as the ideal prelude to the WBBL. Next season, the new competition will also result in higher wages for domestic female players.

The typical Australian female player who plays in every domestic contest and has a state contract with the WBBL will make AU$163,322, an increase of AU$12,303 over the previous season. She will also get full match payments.

In addition to reorganizing the WBBL, establishing a new state T20 competition, and aiming to win two gold medals at the Olympics, CA has declared its intention to raise the overall revenue from women’s cricket by AU$100 million over the next ten years, increase participation from 25,000 to 100,000 girls aged 5 to 12, invest AU$500 million in women’s cricket infrastructure, and have at least 40% of women in leadership roles in Australian cricket, including executive, board, and community roles.

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Additionally, CA has pledged to book additional women’s matches at significant Australian arenas. The first such match will be the women’s Ashes Test, which will take place at the MCG early in 2019 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of women’s Test cricket. Australia and England will also play women’s T20Is at Adelaide Oval and the SCG during the multiformat series.
Ellyse Perry, an Australian all-rounder, expressed support for the projects.

“Australian Cricket has been at the forefront of the growth in women’s sport providing some of the best opportunities for players with resourcing and remuneration and it’s reassuring to know this commitment will not only be sustained, but greatly enhanced over the next 10 years,” Perry said in a statement issued by CA.

“We would love to see major stadiums filled with fans for our international and WBBL games and more girls inspired to play cricket as the public’s appetite for women’s sport grows with viewing audiences.”

“It is also extremely important that the increased interest in women’s sport is reflected in sponsorship and broadcast deals, and I hope this plan will continue to drive this growth so that women’s cricket continues to thrive.”