England Women's Cricket Archives - Today Match Prediction

ECB’s Uncertainty on Establishing Equal Pay Targets for England’s Men and Women

Mainul Islam — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 14:31:50 +0000

The ICEC Report's Vision

Published in June, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report emphasized that women in cricket were often treated as “second-class citizens.” The report recommended that the ECB strive for equal pay on average at the domestic level by 2029 and at the international level by 2030.

ICEC Report Findings

The ICEC report unveiled substantial wage disparities in international white-ball cricket, where women’s average salaries were just 20.6 percent of the average salaries for men in 2021. Furthermore, the report exposed a significant inequality in total spending on women’s salaries in The Hundred, standing at only 25 percent of what was allocated to men’s salaries.

ECB's Approach and Chief Executive's Statement

Although the ECB is determined to bridge the pay gap, it has not firmly committed to the timelines set forth in the report. ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould expressed the organization’s aspiration to achieve equal pay on average but acknowledged that accelerating the growth of the commercial aspect of women’s cricket is essential. The commercial element, driven by broadcast value, plays a crucial role in achieving pay equality. The ECB’s current major broadcast contract extends until the end of 2028, necessitating a focused effort to reach equality. Whether this can be achieved within a single broadcast cycle remains uncertain, but the ECB is committed to making every possible effort.

ECB Deputy Chief Executive Clare Connor mentioned a “live conversation” regarding the prospect of England Women playing a Test match at Lord’s, responding to the ICEC report’s observation that such a match has not yet been played at this iconic venue.

ECB's Formal Response and Commitments

The ECB unveiled its formal response, which includes a series of commitments to address the issues raised in the ICEC report:

Investing £25 million annually above the revenue generated from the women’s game into expanding women’s and girls’ cricket across all levels.
Eliminating financial barriers in the talent pathway by 2025.
Developing action plans to tackle specific hurdles faced by state schools and black children.
Establishing an independent Cricket Regulator separate from the ECB, tasked with prosecuting disciplinary cases, by the 2024 season. Annual assurance checks will ensure the Regulator’s independence.
Enhancing EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) standards for counties, setting more ambitious targets for gender and ethnic diversity.
Assessing counties’ performance against minimum EDI standards and having the authority to relocate matches from venues if non-compliance is detected.

Gould reinforced the ECB’s unwavering commitment to making cricket the most inclusive sport in England and Wales, urging collective efforts to achieve this goal. The response signifies a comprehensive set of actions aimed at intensifying and accelerating the work to make cricket a game accessible to all.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) will issue a separate response regarding the ICEC recommendation to replace Eton v Harrow and Oxford v Cambridge matches at Lord’s with state school’s finals days.

The post ECB’s Uncertainty on Establishing Equal Pay Targets for England’s Men and Women appeared first on Today Match Prediction.

ECB Equalizes Women’s Team Match Fees with Men’s Side

Mainul Islam — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:29:46 +0000

ECB Increases Women’s Match Fees to Achieve Parity with Men’s Team

London, UK – August 30, 2023: After a highly successful women’s multi-format Ashes series that witnessed unprecedented crowd engagement, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has made a groundbreaking announcement. In a move toward gender equity, the ECB has raised the match fees for the women’s cricket team to align them with those of the men’s team.

Equalizing Match Fees: A Significant Milestone

The ECB revealed its decision with a statement that highlighted the achievement of record-breaking attendances, with an impressive 110,000-strong crowd at the Women’s Ashes series this summer. The increase in match fees for England Women signifies a significant step in leveling the playing field, bridging the gap between men’s and women’s compensation in cricket.

A Historic Series and Its Impact

The recent Ashes series was an instrumental factor in propelling this transformative move. England set new records for women’s international attendance, drawing massive crowds at iconic venues like Edgbaston, The Oval, and Lord’s. Sold-out matches at Taunton, Bristol, and Hampshire further underscored the series’ popularity. Heather Knight, the captain of England Women, hailed the series as the “best in the history of the women’s game.”

Series Outcome and Financial Parity

The Ashes series culminated in an exciting 8-8 draw, with Australia retaining the Ashes due to their victory in the one-off Test and subsequent four points. England, on the other hand, clinched both white-ball series victories with scores of 2-1, earning them two points per win.

Immediate Implementation and Broader Investments

The increased match fees will be immediately effective, starting with the ongoing white-ball series against Sri Lanka. This development aligns with the ECB’s larger efforts to enhance compensation for women’s players. Investments in domestic structures, The Hundred, and broader earning opportunities globally have propelled cricket to offer some of the most lucrative earning prospects among female team sports.

A Bold Step for Equality

Richard Gould, CEO of ECB, expressed his excitement about the trajectory of women’s cricket in the country. He emphasized the importance of expanding investment in women’s cricket structures, nurturing a thriving and sustainable game that mirrors gender equality.

Heather Knight's Optimistic Vision

England Women’s Captain, Heather Knight, welcomed the announcement and its implications for the women’s game. She emphasized the significance of creating a sustainable and appealing product that resonates with girls and young women, fostering their interest in cricket.

The positive strides made by the ECB toward gender parity demonstrate cricket’s commitment to equality and growth. As the sport continues to evolve, these progressive measures will undoubtedly contribute to a flourishing and inclusive future for women’s cricket.

The post ECB Equalizes Women’s Team Match Fees with Men’s Side appeared first on Today Match Prediction.

“Sciver-Brunt’s Latest Century Ensures Women’s Ashes End All Square”

Mainul Islam — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 06:42:24 +0000

Nat Sciver-Brunt finally achieved a century against Australia, playing a pivotal role in England’s triumph by 69 runs in the third one-day international at Taunton on Tuesday. With this victory, the multi-format Women’s Ashes series concluded in a draw at 8-8.

The match was affected by rain, and the result was determined by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, resulting in Australia’s first bilateral ODI series loss since 2013, despite being double white-ball world champions.

Sciver-Brunt’s exceptional performance saw her scoring 129 runs, making it her second century against Australia in just three days, after an unbeaten 111 in the second ODI in Southampton, although it ended in an agonizing three-run defeat. Her innings of 129 was instrumental in England’s total of 285-9.

Australia faced a revised target of 269 from 44 overs but fell short, getting dismissed for 199. England’s seamer Kate Cross played a significant role, taking 3-48.

However, Australia had already secured the Ashes with an 8-6 lead before the match, having won the lone Test in the series.

England’s Kate Cross expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, believing they were closing the gap to Australia. The series ending in a draw was seen as a testament to England’s improvement.

Sciver-Brunt, who had consistently scored centuries against Australia but without securing a win before, was elated to see her efforts finally lead to an England victory.

Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner acknowledged England’s superior performance, highlighting their fearless brand of cricket, which Australia should take note of.

During the match, England lost early wickets but recovered well thanks to the partnership between captain Heather Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt. The latter scored a magnificent hundred, receiving cheers from the crowd.

After a rain delay, Australia needed to score at a brisk pace, but England’s bowlers, especially Kate Cross, kept the pressure on. Ellyse Perry played a fighting innings of 53, but her dismissal ended Australia’s hopes.

Despite the draw in the series, England showcased a strong comeback after falling 6-0 down, managing to level the score at 6-6 by winning four of the seven matches and both white-ball series.

While England couldn’t reclaim the Ashes from Australia this time, there were discussions about possible adjustments to the points system to avoid series ending in a tie in the future. England’s captain, Heather Knight, suggested the idea of having an odd number of points for certain aspects to prevent draws in long series. However, concrete decisions were yet to be made.

The post “Sciver-Brunt’s Latest Century Ensures Women’s Ashes End All Square” appeared first on Today Match Prediction.

England’s record in the Women’s T20 World Cup

Mainul Islam — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 11:26:35 +0000

Pakistan and England meet in the 19th match of this season in Cape Town, South Africa on Tuesday (February 21). After winning the toss and batting in the game, England scored 213 runs losing 5 wickets in the scheduled 20 overs. In reply, Pakistan could score only 99 runs after losing 9 wickets in 20 overs. Only three English batsmen have achieved such a record number of runs on a day in World Twenty20. The rest soon returned to the dressing room. Nate Skiber Brant scored the highest run for the team. He scored an unbeaten 81 runs at a strike rate of 202 off 40 balls.

Among them 12 boundaries and 1 over the boundary. England opener Danny Watt scored 59 runs from 33 balls. And Amy Jones scored 47 runs off 31 balls. That’s why the team got the highest collection. Earlier, the highest run in this edition of the World Cup was 195. South Africa scored 195 for 3 against Thailand in 2020. On this side, Pakistan’s women cricketers are disoriented, batting against the record collection. 3 wickets fell for only 15 runs. After that, the batters entered the wicket in procession at regular intervals. In the end, Pakistan’s innings stopped at just 99 runs. England won by 114 runs.

The post England’s record in the Women’s T20 World Cup appeared first on Today Match Prediction.