NSW Breakers become first professional women's team in Australia

The NSW women’s cricket team has smashed through the glass ceiling to become the first fully professional female team in Australian domestic sport.

In a major breakthrough, all Breakers squad members will be on full-time contracts, with international players having the potential to earn more than $100,000 per year.

The minimum wage will be $35,000.

The move outdoes the effort of Netball Australia which announced last month that players in the new national league would have their minimum wage doubled to $27,375, while the AFL’s new women’s league has set a minimum wage of $5,000 for their players, with marquees earning $25,000.

Cricket NSW was able to increase the financial benefit for women’s cricketers after securing sponsorship from building and construction company Lendlease.

The Breakers domestic squad members’ salaries will almost double, with NSW cricket chief executive Andrew Jones describing it as a landmark moment for gender equality in Australian sport.

“I am confident that every state in Australia will now follow the lead of Cricket NSW by giving their female cricketers the opportunity to earn a living wage,” Jones said.

It follows on from Cricket Australia in April increasing total payments for domestic and international players from $2.36 million to $4.23 million.

Australian-contracted female players earn a minimum $80,000 plus match fees.

Batter Ashleigh Gardner described the announcement as life-changing.

“Cricket has always been my passion, however I never really thought that I would be able to play professionally,” Gardner said.

“In the back of my mind I was always having to consider how I needed to juggle school work, studies, one day having a job and a family, with my training and matches.”