Mind the (pay) gap for women
Several of the women’s players who take the field today in the first Super Smash T20 game will be earning 88 per cent less than their male counterparts, even though they are playing the same format, in the same conditions, on the same day.
The gap comes from the base payments offered to male and female cricketers. Men receive a base retainer of at least $27,000 for the season, while 54 contracted domestic women across the six major associations – who sit outside White Ferns centralised contracts or casual playing contracts – receive $3250 ‘‘compensation’’.
There is a 100 per cent gender pay gap in Super Smash match fees. For the doubleheader between Wellington and Auckland at the Basin Reserve today, men will receive a $575 match fee.
The contracted domestic women do not receive a match fee. Women on casual contracts receive an appearance fee of $130.
Under contract, men must be available for a minimum of 52 playing days across the three formats during the season. Women are to be available for at least 20 playing days across Super Smash T20 and the one-day Hallyburton Johnstone Shield competition.
Domestic female players are considered ‘‘amateur’’ by New Zealand Cricket, with their participation in cricket considered secondary to other fulltime employment. Men are contracted fulltime for seven months of the year.
Female players are halfway through their three-year Master Agreement with New Zealand Cricket, which introduced payment for domestic women players for the first time.
Within the agreement – which was negotiated by the New Zealand Cricket Players Association – women received a player payment pool of $4.136 million over three years, including increased contract numbers for the White Ferns, and the introduction of development contracts.
Blaze captain and White Fern Maddy Green said the statistics were ‘‘pretty damning’’ but the introduction of contracts for domestic players two years ago was a positive start.
‘‘I have full faith in the Players Association in what they are doing for us in advocating for women’s cricket, and women’s sport in general. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight ... but we are moving in the right direction.’’
Cricket Players Association chief executive Heath Mills said payment for domestic women’s players was a ‘‘big step forward’’ but there’s more to be done.
‘‘Clearly we need to grow the women’s game and work with New Zealand Cricket to increase the overall remuneration package to women’s cricket,’’ he said.
NZC said in a statement it was pleased with the progress ‘‘made so far’’ regarding the women’s game.
‘‘However, this is an evolutionary process, it’s not something that happens overnight, and we’re confident we’ll continue to move in a positive direction when the existing Master Agreement comes up for renegotiation.’’
Tim Southee will devour Christmas lunch with New Zealand teammates and young families at Mt Maunganui with his eyes on the prize. And, potentially, a more significant one for his team next year at the home of cricket.
New Zealand’s senior bowler will mark his run-up at Bay Oval on Saturday, should captain Kane Williamson win the toss, requiring four Pakistan wickets to join Sir Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori in the 300-club.
At 32, Southee sprinted towards the milestone as the Black Caps swept West Indies 2-0. Since he, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson became a test pace quartet against India at Christchurch in February, Southee snared 17 wickets in his last three tests at 17.58.
Southee admits he’s allowed himself a brief glimpse of Lord’s, London, in June next year.
Beat Pakistan 2-0 at Mt Maunganui and Christchurch, and hope Australia sweep India 4-0, and a trans-Tasman final in the World
Tim Southee
Test Championship will be at short odds.
‘‘That’s the excitement that’s added with the World Test Championship and if you are able to play some good cricket over that period and make the final it would be exciting,’’ Southee told Stuff.
‘‘Playing Australia in a test in England would be unique and pretty cool to do. It’d be nice to get a Duke ball in our hands again and our bowling attack with a Duke ball could be even more dangerous.’’
Amid all the comparisons between the respective pace attacks from Australia (world No 1) and New Zealand (world No 2), a neutral venue with a different ball would provide the ultimate gauge. Australia won seven of the eight trans-Tasman tests since 2015, all with the Kookaburra ball, while the English Dukes is more receptive to swing and seam bowling. Imagine Jamieson, on recent form, with that in his hand?
Back in 2013, Southee snared 10-108 against England at Lord’s before the Black Caps’ batting collapsed to defeat against Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.
‘‘Over there the overhead conditions can play a massive part. There’s a lot of things that come into play in that part of the world. It’s something that’s in your mind, but our focus is purely on the Pakistan series for now.’’
England is on the radar for the Black Caps regardless of whether they qualify for the WTC final, with New Zealand Cricket confirming recent talks for a two-test series in England after the Indian Premier League in April-May.
For now it’s the relative normality of a Kiwi Christmas, and cricket in front of crowds. Southee will relish every moment and, most likely, be raising the red Kookaburra to a standing ovation some time in the next week or so.
‘‘Our bowling attack with a Duke ball could be even more dangerous.’’