Yorkshire players during a women's T20 Blast match. Photo: photosport
England will offer equal starting salaries to men and women across professional domestic cricket from next year, the country's cricket board (ECB) announced.
The equal pay will apply to the players at both 'Rookie' and 'Senior Pro' levels, the ECB said.
Rookie level has been introduced into the women's game for the first time and will serve as a player's first professional contract while the Senior Pro level is for the established players in first teams.
The starting salaries and salary budget have been approved by the ECB's Professional Game Committee (PGC), featuring representatives from the First-Class County (FCCs), the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA), and the ECB.
ECB said pay parity has been introduced as part of the restructuring of the women's professional game following their earlier announcement of the men's and women's professional white ball competitions alignment for next season.
"Equalising starting salaries across our men's and women's professional domestic game is another positive step forward for women's cricket in England and Wales," Director of Women's Professional Game Beth Barrett-Wild said in a statement.
"The changes we've made to the structure of women's domestic cricket across the last nine months have been about producing a sustainable and viable product that's attractive off the pitch, as well as being quality on it.
"As part of this, it's important that our players are remunerated appropriately, and that cricket is seen not just as a viable career option for women, but an enticing one."
The eight FCCs with tier-one status in next year's revamped domestic women's structure will also have minimum squad sizes of 15 contracted players with a salary cap of £800,000 ($NZ1.7 million) per year.
The FCCs will also have to invest at least £500,000 in their player salary costs in 2025.
The Oval will host the inaugural T20 Blast Women's Finals Day on 27 July next year, while the first edition of the One Day Cup Women's Final will be held at the Utilita Bowl on 21 September.
- Reuters