Nat Sciver-Brunt becomes one of Britain’s best paid sportswomen in WPL auction
Nat Sciver-Brunt became one of Britain’s highest-paid sportswomen in Monday’s auction for the inaugural Women’s Premier League.
Mumbai Indians paid 3.2 crore rupees, or around GBP 320,000, to select the all-rounder in the sister competition of the Indian Premier League while her England team-mate Sophie Ecclestone went to UP Warriorz for 1.8 crore (GBP 180,000).
While prize money, such as for Emma Raducanu’s 2021 US Open win, and an emerging batch of endorsement deals will present a different picture, Sciver-Brunt’s windfall in particular stands out in salary terms.
She ranked behind only India’s star batter Smriti Mandhana in the auction prices and for less than a month’s work she will dwarf her England earnings.
ECB central contracts are understood to be worth between GBP 60,000 and GBP 100,000 per year – batter Sophia Dunkley was another player celebrating after being picked up by Gujarat Giants for the lower end of that range, while Alice Capsey earned GBP 75,000 from the Delhi Capitals.
By way of comparison, the top price band in the ECB’s domestic franchise competition the Hundred is GBP 31,250 in the women’s competition. Ecclestone and Sciver-Brunt entered the WPL bidding at a base price of GBP 50,000, with Sciver-Brunt benefiting from a bidding war between Mumbai and the Warriorz after early interest from Delhi. The Warriorz, led by England coach Jon Lewis, outbid the Giants for Ecclestone’s services.
Across domestic women’s sport there are very few comparable earning opportunities, with England’s European champion footballers among the highest-profile stars. The Lionesses earn the same match fees as their male counterparts, a reported GBP 2,000 per match, with central contracts starting from GBP 15,000 and typically paying around GBP 30,000.
Jill Scott, who retired after England’s win, broadened her horizons outside football with a reported GBP 120,000 fee for her victorious stint on reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Sciver-Brunt and Ecclestone will both exceed that, and are unlikely to be locked in a cage of rats or need medics to remove cockroaches from their ears for the privilege.
Salaries in the Women’s Super League range from around GBP 20,000 per year to Chelsea striker Sam Kerr’s reported league-leading salary of GBP 400,000.
England’s rugby stars, who put together a world record 30-match winning run on their way to last year’s World Cup final, have central contracts reportedly worth between GBP 26,000 and GBP 32,000 plus match fees of GBP 800. That compares poorly to New Zealand, who beat them in that final, whose players can earn up to double that upper limit plus assembly fees of up to GBP 10,000 per year and plus pensions and other benefits.
Netball, a sport in which England have enjoyed huge recent success and which has a growing profile on Sky Sports, has a reported salary cap of GBP 70,000. That is for a squad of 10, with two additional marquee players outside the cap.
Latest
-
News
Surrey stars eager to help Alec Stewart sign off with more silverware
Stewart has guided Surrey to three County Championship wins during his decade in charge.
-
Women's Cricket
Maia Bouchier smashes 91 as England Women seal T20 series victory
England made 177 for three and then restricted New Zealand to 130 for seven.
-
County Cricket
Yorkshire boosted by Harry Brook and Joe Root’s early-season availability
Both players are not at the Indian Premier League.
-
England
Ollie Pope ‘itching’ to get back scoring runs after ‘frustrating’ tour of India
The England vice-captain hit a superb 196 in Hyderabad, but averaged only 14.75 in the next four Tests of the India series.
-
Women's Cricket
Ellyse Perry says Ashes Test at MCG ‘amazing’ but unsure about four-day return
Australia will host England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes early next year.
-
County Cricket
Harry Brook set to return for start of Yorkshire’s County Championship campaign
Brook withdrew from England’s Test tour of India in January due to personal reasons.
-
England
England spinner Tom Hartley expects his exploits in India to be ‘life changing’
Hartley’s second-innings haul of seven for 62 in Hyderabad delivered one England’s greatest ever overseas victories.
-
Women's Cricket
Heather Knight urges more composure from England after New Zealand collapse
The tourists needed just 29 from 29 balls with eight wickets in hand.
-
Australia
On this day in 2018: Australia ‘sandpapergate’ ball-tampering controversy erupts
The incident led to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft being banned from playing for Australia.
-
England
Andrew Flintoff would be excellent England coach – Rob Key
The former national team captain will lead Northern Superchargers in The Hundred this summer.