With progress made over the years in women’s sport, major challenges remain, particularly regarding equal pay, professionalisation, training conditions and media coverage.
Wage gap is one of the most unconcealed areas of prejudice, as women remain far behind their male counterparts when it comes to being paid in sports.
In a trailblazing move, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced equal international-match fees for their men and women players, joining New Zealand and India in bridging the gap across genders.
The new match fees will be effective from September when the Protea women tour Pakistan for the first time. The tour, set to take place between 1-14 September, will feature a three-match T20I series followed by as many ODIs, which will be a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 cycle.
CSA board chairperson Lawson Naidoo said the organisation had approved R400 million towards the professionalisation and establishment of this league.
“This is a momentous day for women’s cricket, and this is something that all South Africans can be proud of today. It’s a giant step forward in leveling the playing field and towards equality,” Naidoo said.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, CSA also unveiled a six-team professional domestic league for women cricketers, as part of the legacy projects following the hosting of a successful Women’s T20 World Cup in February – SA reached the finals.
“The professionalisation of the women’s domestic structure aims to elevate the women’s cricketing landscape by providing a platform for local talent to shine, fostering a culture of sporting excellence, while inspiring the next generation of players,” said CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki.
“With the success of South African cricket on the global stage, we believe that this will be a stepping stone for local talent, creating an environment that fosters growth, resilience, and a deep love for the sport.”
This groundbreaking and historic moment in women’s cricket will comprise two main tournaments: the CSA Women’s One Day Cup and Women’s T20 Challenge.
The new domestic structure takes its framework from the existing 16-team, two-tier set-up, which is divided into a top six and a bottom ten, with the latter being split into two groups of five each with a promotion-relegation system in place.
The number of permanent contracts in the ‘Top Six’ Division One will be raised from six to 11 players, with the introduction of a combined prize money pot for the respective winners of the upcoming campaign.
Additionally, there will be an improved and permanent coaching setup consisting of a head coach and an assistant coach as well as a centralized system for physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches attending to each team.
For the upcoming 2023-24 season, the top six teams will be Titans, Lions, Dolphins, Western Province, Free State and Garden Route Badgers. Four of the six – Titans, Lions, Dolphins, and Western Province – also have men’s teams, while both Free State and Garden Route Badgers are top tier women’s teams only.
