Having a fully professional international women’s team is an achievable goal for Cricket Ireland, according to star batter Gaby Lewis. While the men have 16 players on central contracts and five more on ‘retainer’ deals, the women currently have seven part-time players and a dozen on ‘non-retainer’ contracts. “It’s a big few months for us,” Lewis, daughter of former Ireland all-rounder and international rugby referee Alan, told the Irish Examiner. “I’d love to have a few full-time contracts if not a whole team of full-time contracts. “It obviously helps, you don’t have to get a full-time job, you can work around cricket and hopefully it’s only the start.

Source: Irish Examiner July 23, 2021 14:37 UTC