Following the release of the ICEC report in 2023, the European Central Bank (ECB) revealed its most recent equity program.
The minimum beginning salary for men’s and women’s professional cricket in England will be equal starting in 2025, marking another step towards gender parity for the sport’s female players.
This programme, which launches in tandem with the new women’s county competition, will be relevant for cricketers who have established themselves as first-team regulars at the ‘Senior Pro’ level as well as ‘Rookies,’ who are new to the women’s game.
The announcement follows the June 2023 report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), which recommended a “fundamental overhaul” of the compensation system for women’s cricket in England and Wales.
For those who are unaware, the research stated that the average salary for England women was 20.6% of that of males (though the ECB believed that percentage to be closer to 30%). The report also established goals for pay parity for domestic workers by 2029 and for foreign workers by 2030.
The minimum pay for male first-class county players was around £27,500 at the time the report was made public. The ICEC report’s early recommendation—that England’s women get equal match payments for overseas assignments—was followed by the announcement last summer. This recent action.
It’s critical that women view cricket as an exciting profession as well as one that is feasible: Director of the Women’s Professional match, Beth Barret-Wild
Director of Women’s Professional Game Beth Barrett-Wild stated that the new development is a significant step towards the ultimate goal of making cricket an appealing sport for young girls as well as boys.
Another move in the right direction for women’s cricket in England and Wales is the equality of starting pay in our men’s and women’s professional domestic leagues. Over the past nine months, we have made a number of modifications to the women’s domestic cricket system in an effort to create a product that is both high-caliber on the field and visually appealing off it. Barrett-Wild, “As part of this, it’s important that our players are remunerated appropriately and that cricket is seen not just as a viable a tempting yet possible employment path for women.
Making cricket as appealing a sport for young girls as it is for males is driving us to make more and more decisions. We’re aware that there’s a lot more work to be done in this area. However, we are making progress quickly, and today’s announcement is a crucial step toward achieving gender parity in the match, she continued.
A huge step toward the eventual aim of achieving fairness across all segments of the professional game, Emma Reid, Director of Player Rights and Women’s Cricket at PCA, also praised the action.
