Nottinghamshire’s Jenny Gunn and Danielle Wyatt are two of 18 players to be awarded new England Women’s contracts, the first to include new financial arrangements and benefits.

The pair have been an integral part of England’s fortunes in recent series, which included back-to-back Women’s Ashes victories in England and Australia. 

“The performances delivered by Charlotte Edwards and her team over the past 12 months, including back-to-back Women’s Ashes triumphs, a historic series win in the West Indies in November, and reaching the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 final in Bangladesh, unequivocally justify the financial reward which comes with the new England women’s contracts,” said ECB Head of England Women’s Cricket Clare Connor.

“The pay increase for the contracted players is significant and signals the dawning of a fully professional era in every sense for England women’s cricket.”

This summer, England women will host India women in August for a one-off Test match and three Royal London One Day Internationals, before welcoming South Africa women for a three match NatWest Twenty20 International series at the start of September, and England Cricket MD Paul Downton has welcomed the changes made.

 

“The England women’s team always prepare to excellent standards, and have been professional cricketers in all but name for a while now,” he said.

 

“International women’s cricket has developed at a fast pace over the last few years and is now a year-round operation.  The new arrangements will allow the 18 contracted players to train as full-time professionals. 

 

“This is a very natural next step forward for the women’s game in this country, and we hope that the move will lead to England maintaining their position as one of the most successful women’s teams in the world.”

 

Full list of players receiving new contracts:

 

Charlotte Edwards (captain) – Kent

Tamsin Beaumont – Kent

Katherine Brunt – Yorkshire

Kathryn Cross – Lancashire

Georgia Elwiss – Sussex

Natasha Farrant – Kent

Lydia Greenway – Kent

Rebecca Grundy – Warwickshire

Jenny Gunn – Nottinghamshire

Danielle Hazell – Yorkshire

Amy Jones – Warwickshire

Heather Knight – Berkshire

Laura Marsh – Kent

Natalie Sciver – Surrey

Anya Shrubsole – Somerset

Sarah Taylor – Sussex

Lauren Winfield – Yorkshire

Danielle Wyatt - Nottinghamshire