“100-Ball Cricket Live: Kate Cross Calls for Equal Access in Women’s Cricket Restructure”
In a thought-provoking statement, England bowler Kate Cross has expressed concerns over the lack of equal access to facilities and staff for women’s cricketers, stating that an upcoming restructure of the professional game offers a valuable opportunity to “level the playing field.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is set to announce eight successful tier-one counties this month, replacing the current regional sides with teams embedded within the first-class county system. This move is part of the ECB’s plans to remodel the professional game, and 16 counties have submitted proposals to own a professional tier-one team.
According to Cross, a representative of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) and a bowler for the North West Thunder, the restructure is an “exciting time” for women’s cricket. However, she emphasizes that the lack of equal access to facilities and support staff across the sport remains a “real concern.”
“We are fortunate at Thunder to have a strong set-up and close links with the Lancashire men’s team, but this isn’t the case for all,” Cross said. “Equal access to facilities and support staff across women’s cricket is a real concern and always has been.”
The PCA’s research into player priorities found that out of 10 indicators of equity, 84% of players selected equal minimum salaries, equal access to facilities, or equal average pay as their top priority. In response, the PCA and ECB have verbally agreed on measures such as minimum squad sizes of 15 professional players and equal minimum wages with the men’s game.
Keaton Jennings, the captain of Lancashire’s men’s side, also acknowledged the need to improve standards to give female cricketers “the best possible chance” for success. “Creating equity in team sports is particularly complex, and it is very pleasing to see this movement taking place,” Jennings said. “Growing the women’s game will progress the development of our sport as a whole.”
As the restructure of “100-ball cricket live” and other formats unfolds, the cricket community is focused on ensuring that women’s cricketers have access to the same high-quality facilities, resources, and support as their male counterparts. This push for equity, driven by voices like Kate Cross, aims to create a level playing field and foster the growth of the sport at all levels.
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