Cricket Ireland have handed out their first-ever full-time professional contracts for Ireland Women as part of a €1.5million investment in the women's game. These full-time contracts will commence immediately and in doing so, the women's cricket team become only the second women’s national team in Ireland to introduce full-time, year-round playing contracts.
A total of 20 players have been offered contracts, with seven full-time, nine part-time/educational and four non-retainer contracts.
Education contracts are designed to work around players who are at school full-time or studying at a tertiary level. Players on these contracts gain a significant living allowance to ensure they do not need to find a job during their education years, and can instead concentrate on their cricket. Most of these players will be effectively full-time in the summer holidays.
Non-retainer contracts offer players loss of earnings and match fees, 12-month medical and healthcare insurance, sports science support (strength and conditioning, psychology, performance analysis, nutrition and lifestyle management), specialist coaching support, and for ROI-based players, full access to the Sport Ireland Institute.
Head coach Ed Joyce has also signed a three-year contract extension as Australia, South Africa and Pakistan are all set to play in Ireland this summer
Laura Delany, Shauna Kavanagh, Sophie MacMahon, Cara Murray, Celeste Raack, Eimear Richardson and Mary Waldron have landed the full-time deals.
Ava Canning, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Jane Maguire, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast and Rebecca Stokell will be on part-time arrangements with educational benefits, with Rachel Delaney, Sarah Forbes, Hannah Little and Kate McEvoy on non-retainer contracts.
Non-retainer contracts offer players loss of earnings and match fees, 12-month medical and healthcare insurance, sports science support, specialist coaching and more.
Ireland captain Laura Delany said: "As a squad we are truly excited and thankful for this opportunity – it is something that many of us never would have dreamed of when we started out playing the sport we love.
"While thankful, though, we also acknowledge the hard work, sacrifice and commitment shown by the players to achieve the honour of representing our country at the highest levels.
"And, as fortunate as the players here today are for having this opportunity, we know that we are standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before us.
"For many years, legends of our Irish women's cricket have fought hard to achieve successes on and off the field. To the generations of women who came before us, we say thank you. You have helped us get here today, and we hope we can do you proud.
"This is day one of what I hope is an incredible journey we will take together - it may get tough at times, it may be challenging, but it should be an experience like no other. To travel the world playing cricket for Ireland – there’s no better feeling."
Ireland games:
South Africa series
- 3 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 1st T20I (Pembroke)
- 6 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 2nd T20I (Pembroke)
- 8 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 3rd T20I (Pembroke)
- 11 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 1st ODI (Clontarf)
- 14 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 1st ODI (Clontarf)
- 17 June 2022: Ireland Women v South Africa Women – 1st ODI (Clontarf)
The three ODIs will be Ireland Women’s first fixtures as part of the ICC Women’s Championship.
Women’s summer tri-series
- 16 July 2022: Australia Women v Pakistan Women – T20I (Bready)
- 17 July 2022: Ireland Women v Australia Women – T20I (Bready)
- 19 July 2022: Ireland Women v Pakistan Women – T20I (Bready)
- 21 July 2022: Ireland Women v Australia Women – T20I (Bready)
- 23 July 2022: Pakistan Women v Australia Women – T20I (Bready)
- 24 July 2022: Ireland Women v Pakistan Women – T20I (Bready)
