Cricket News: Australian cricketer to become CA's first cricketer to earn $3 million

On Monday, April 3, Cricket Australia revealed a new wage deal. All Australian women and Big Bash League players will get a big rise in income as a result of the deal.

Australia's captain, Pat Cummins, will become the first cricketer to earn $3 million, while women's team leader Meg Lanning might earn $1 million.

Professional women cricketers will earn a 66 percent wage raise under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers' Association.

The top CA on a Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) contract can earn more than $800,000 per year. Meanwhile, they can earn more than $1 million as captain, in addition to revenues from the Women's Premier League (India) and The Hundred (UK).

Male Cricket Australia players will be paid 7.5% more in the first year, then 2% more per year for the next four years. Cummins has a retainer of more than $2 million, with Cricket Australia receiving $3 million altogether.

The next six CA contract holders will likely make $500,000 per year on average when paired with a WBBL retainer and revenues from other tournaments.

As the number of franchise Twenty20 leagues grows, Cricket Australia lifted the wage maximum for elite male BBL players from $2 million to $3 million per club.

Mike Baird, chairman of Cricket Australia, praised the new deal as a watershed moment in Australian cricket.

He remarked that the board is pleased to be able to help the country's female athletes. He also added that they have maintained a commercial position for their male athletes in order for them to compete with the best in the globe.

"We're proud today with what we've seen for the women's game, a significant uplift to provide a pathway that other sports in Australia can only dream of, and we've also maintained a commercial position for our men players to compete with the best in the world,"

Baird said.

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