“ Up until this point it had been like trying to manage two full-time jobs” — Cricket Ireland announce more contracts for the Women’s Team
Cricket Ireland have announced their allocations of contracts for the 2023 season, commencing in March 2023. This comes after a successful first year of professional contracts and increased investment in the national side.
In March 2022, Cricket Ireland announced the first 20 women’s playing contracts, those being seven full-time, nine part-time or educational and four non-retainer contracts. This was further supported by the announcement of the annual investment of €1.5 million to the women’s national set up.
In a recent press release, Ireland announced that five players — Laura Delany, Gaby Lewis, Orla Prendergast, Leah Paul and Arlene Kelly — will receive multi-year contracts.
New Zealand born, Arlene Kelly did not expect to be playing for Ireland, let alone having a professional contract with the national team. Kelly spoke about how important these contracts have been for the development of cricket.
“It’s been huge and probably up until this point it had been like trying to manage two full-time jobs” she explained. “To do those small one percenters: making sure you’re getting your sleep, you’re doing your recovery, you’re eating well, it’s more that side of things where you’ve really been able to take advantage of that time”.
Kelly also understands the advantages the contracts bring away from cricket. “It’s also having a bit more downtime to kind of switch off from cricket”. Kelly continued, “I think they have made a massive difference and I feel extremely fortunate and privileged to be in a position to take up one of those contracts”.
There are a number of further details around the announcement of these contracts with various players remaining on part-time contracts to enable them to finish education.
Opener, Gaby Lewis, will be on a part-time contract during her university semester, but will become full-time contract during semester breaks. Belfast leg-spinner, Cara Murray, will be on an part-time contract until June 2023, where she will move to a full-time contract. Similarly, Orla Prendergast will move to a full-time contract in June 2023.
Shauna Kavanagh, Sophie MacMahon, Cara Murray and Mary Waldron all remain on full-time contracts while 22-year-old, Rebecca Stokell will become full time from December 2023 and in the mean time has retained her part-time/educational contract.
Education contracts work around players who are at school full-time or studying which allows the players concentrate on cricket rather than having to have a part-time job while in education. Furthermore, the contract allows for these players to be effectively full-time in the summer holidays when they are not in education.
Ava Canning, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Louise Little, Jane Maguire and Leah Paul have all retained their educational contracts for the following year.
Right-arm seamer, Jane Maguire, spoke about the impact of receiving her first contract last year. “The contracts are huge” she said. “To be able to not have to rely on having a part-time job then trying to sort out going on tour while still being in college and everything so it’s helped so much”.
Additional casual contracts have been awarded to Alana Dalzell, Rachel Delaney, Sarah Forbes, Joanna Loughran, Aimee Maguire, Kate McEvoy, Eimear Richardson and Freya Sargent. Players will be paid for the matches they pay and have other payments and fees covered.
Vitally, for the younger players in particular, it provides strength and conditioning, psychology, performance analysis, nutrition and lifestyle management and specialist coaching support.
Joanna Loughran, Aimee Maguire and Freya Sargent were all key members of Ireland’s U19s squad who played in the inaugural U19 Women’s World Cup in South Africa at the start of the year.
It’s an exciting time for Irish women’s cricket with skipper, Laura Delany flying the Irish flag over in Pakistan for the Amazons side in three Pakistan Women’s League exhibition games. A number of other members of the Irish team have entered the Hundred Draft which take place on the 23rd March.
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