MELBOURNE: Former Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson, was appointed president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) at its AGM in Sydney on Monday.
Point worth noting is that unlike India’s toothless Indian Cricketers Association, the ACA has active players as members, not retired ones whose main concerns will (but naturally) be pension related.
Coming back to ACA, Watson is part of an extended 10-person board which includes three new appointments: current Australian players Pat Cummins and Kristen Beams, and cricket commentator and former Australian cricketer, Lisa Sthalekar.
For the record, the ACA board has five current players, four retired players and one professional in Janet Torney, who has been appointed director and has expertise in strategy, finance, governance, risk management and investment.
Watson said the support the ACA provides cricketers had been a constant across his professional career since he made his first-class debut in 2000 and that he was excited to lead the Association after seven years on the Executive.
“Through a period of immense change, the players have been, and will continue to be, a strong voice in protecting what’s made our game of cricket great, while embracing opportunities that change inevitably brings,” Watson said.
Watson says these opportunities are particularly present in the women’s game, where the ACA has been a significant partner in its growth – notably the inclusion of women and men under the one MOU in 2017, and more recently the introduction of a paid parental leave policy.
“This policy, amid a host of other changes, assures Australian women that cricket is a sport which can now support you and your family. And for girls coming through who love sport, like my daughter, it says that cricket is a sport where you’ll be able to have a career.”
Watson, who continues to play Premier Cricket for Sutherland, is also passionate about forging greater connections with community cricket and noted the $30 million contributed by the players into the Grassroots Cricket Fund.
The expanded board is part of a revised governance structure for the ACA, which now also manages the Australian Cricketers’ Retirement Account, which benefits Australia’s professional cricketers once their careers are over.
The revised structure also splits the role of president and chair, which will continue to be held by Greg Dyer.
“I’m excited to work even closer alongside Greg, as he’s someone I’ve always enjoyed spending time with,” said Watson.
“He’s an incredibly successful man in his own right, and everything he’s been able to bring to the ACA over his time as President has been immense.”
Pat Cummins said: “I’ve seen first-hand how much help the ACA has given me and other players, and now coming into my ninth year as a contracted cricketer hopefully I can be a voice for the players like a few of the older guys before me.”
Lisa Sthalekar said: “We’re starting to see that more and more time is taken for the players in playing the game and all the commitments that come around that, and I’ve always been a huge advocate of the players so I certainly want to be able to provide any help that I can.”
“I think the ACA is a perfect voice for the players. They can share their information with their teammates who are delegates or on committees, and they know that the ACA will always have their back.”
Kristen Beams said: “I’m looking forward to joining what is a talented ACA Board and continuing on the fantastic support they provide the players and in particular the work they’ve done in building the women’s game.”
Tim Paine said: “The players are rapt to have someone of the calibre of Shane Watson take on the President’s role at the ACA. He clearly has a great understanding of the issues facing the playing group and has a long history as being an outstanding advocate.”
Meg Lanning said: “The ACA continues to play a very important role in the rise of the women’s game, and the great additions of Pat Cummins, Lisa Sthalekar and Kristen Beams to the Board will help ensure this continues.”
