Published - | Updated - February 15, 2023 07:27 am
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The second-most coveted women’s cricket team entered the St. George’s Park nets for a meditation on a rare windless day in Gqeberha. Australia’s cricketers had to calm their racing thoughts and concentrate on the task at hand, a T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh, as the maiden Women’s Premier League auction
Since the auction date was revealed less than two weeks ago, the issue of how to handle the distraction of the “game-changer” for women’s cricket during a global competition has been a persistent one. Everyone will handle it anyway they see fit “Australia Meg Lanning, the skipper, made a statement at the World Cup launch party.
That meant Lanning put it on hold until after Monday’s (February 13) training session, so as Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals competed for her services, she was calmly strolling from the nets to the centre of the field for a look at the pitch, unaware of what colours she will be wearing next month and how much she will be paid.
The Indian team, who had two days until their next match, convened in a hotel conference room in Cape Town to watch the auction together and cheered each time one of their numbers was sold, but Australia mainly followed Lanning’s example. the group with the Unlike the majority of foreign bidders in the auction, some members of the Australian squad could not control their curiosity about how drastically their lives would soon alter.
As the online session came to an end shortly after the auction began, a phone rang, and Megan Schutt, Kim Garth, and Ashleigh Gardner joined to monitor the bidding on the latter. The final sum paid for a non-Indian player, 3.2 crore for Gardner, was paid by Gujarat Giants. But it didn’t cause a widespread diversion. At the conclusion of the practise, many of the players stayed and were more than willing to spend time with volunteer bowlers who were looking for some guidance or a helping hand selfie.
Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, and Gardner had joined Gardner in placing high bids by the time coach Shelley Nitschke arrived for the pre-match press conference, but Alyssa Healy had gone unexpectedly cheap. Was it, however, the talk of the changing room? But on the whole, I believe it’s a great day for the game. Today, I would say, it enters a new professional realm. It’s also intriguing to watch where it will lead.”
By the time the auction was over, 12 of Australia’s 15-woman team had signed WPL contracts, and Erin Burns and Laura Harris, two of their players back home, had also secured a gig. That was two times more England had seven as the following foreign nation, with Nat Sciver-Brunt matching the price paid for Gardner.
Ashley is such a fantastic all-arounder, Nitschke argued in favour of the massive proposal. “She performs well in three areas. She has been really significant to us for the past one to two years, and even longer. But I believe that in recent times, we have seen her really step up and develop as a cricket player. She is essential to our team. It was amazing to watch her play with the ball and record her best stats ever against New Zealand. I’m eager to see what the (WPL) tournament has in store for her.”
South Africa couldn’t afford to lose focus on Monday back in the Cape. With their shocking defeat to Sri Lanka in the tournament’s opening game, this evening’s game in Paarl versus New Zealand. They declined to form a squad and instead decided to watch the auction in their individual hotel rooms.
Given that only three of South Africa’s prospects – Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, and Chloe Tryon – were chosen, that was undoubtedly a prudent move. A fourth South African was also purchased, but as she is not a member of their team, she was able to enjoy herself more.
Cheers of “RCB! RCB! As if it wasn’t obvious, the The T20 World Cup has lost ground.