Australia Ready To Appoint A Woman To Run Cricket: Ellyse Perry

Cricket Australia supports the equal-pay model for their men and women cricketers. The board might also allow a woman to run the game in the country, feels premier women’s all-rounder Ellyse Perry. Her comments come after Kevin Roberts resigned from his role of chief executive following criticism over his leadership emerging during the hiatus due to the novel coronavirus pandemic situation.

The cricket board has accepted the resignation by Roberts with Nick Hockley appointed as interim CEO to look over the T20 World Cup period with immediate effect. Hockley served as head of commercial projects for the cricket board from June 2015 to March 2017. His experience also includes managing Cricket World cup as general manager (commercial and marketing) from October 2012 to June 2015.

Ellyse Perry: Cricket Australia has been ready for a female CEO for a long time

Cricket Australia is looking internally to find a permanent replacement for Roberts. Amid the hiring process, a few names have emerged, with Western Australia Cricket Association chief Christina Matthews one of the possible candidates.

Perry feels that the board is ready to appoint a female candidate to run the game for a long time. She also added that Mathews is in discussion with the board and Australia has already got a number of women with proven skills in the high executive roles.

“I think Cricket Australia has been ready for a female CEO for a long time,” Perry told reporters in a video call on Friday.

“I know Chris (Matthews) was in discussions for the last round of hiring for the role.

“I don’t think it’s something that’s new.

“We’ve got a number of women working in high executive roles in Cricket Australia, Belinda Clark and Steph Beltrame to name a couple.”

Perry has scored over 4000 international runs and picked up 279 wickets.