SEXIST male-centric cricket terms such as “batsman”, “fieldsman”, “12th man” and “nightwatchman” should be dropped from the sporting vernacular to foster more equality in the game, according to WA’s top cricketing administrator.

WA Cricket Association chief executive Christina Matthews said “words matter” and these names must be gender-neutral if the “gentleman’s game” was truly to be a game for everybody.

Terms such as “batter” and “fielder” should be adopted, while instead of saying “12th man” or “third man”, people should just use “12th” or “third”, she said.

Ms Matthews, also a member of WA CEOs for Gender Equity and a former State and national cricketer, said it was up to everyone to steer the sport in the right direction.

“Here we are, in 2017, using terms such as 12th man, batsman, fieldsman and nightwatchman without a second thought,” she said.

Ms Matthews told PerthNow she wanted the issue of gender-specific names on the agenda, especially after the Marylebone Cricket Club at Lord’s —which sets the laws of cricket — recently decided not to change the term “batsman”.

“In my view, there’s no commonsense reason why (the names can’t be changed). I think it’s just something people have held on to,” she said.

“Words matter, and words demonstrate respect as well.

“By not changing the terms, you’re disrespecting half the population. “I’m not saying people are deliberately trying to offend but it’s a bit like bullying — whether you’re bullied or not is dictated by the person who is on the end of it, not the person who’s doing it.”

Ms Matthews said young girls wanting to play cricket would not identify with the term “batsman” and may think the game was not for them.

“It’s (change) most important for the kids coming through,” she said.

The argument that the term “batter” is an American word and does not belong in Australia is irrelevant, because “our whole lives have been Americanised”, she says.

Ms Matthews expected the reaction from WACA members would be mixed.

“Our members on the whole are fairly progressive thinkers and have embraced, like a lot of other people, the women’s BBL and the much more public entry of women into the game,” she said.

Piepa Cleary, a fast bowler who plays for the Perth Scorchers in the WBBL, stood by Ms Matthews’ comments, saying there was still a long way to go when it came to gender equality in sport — particularly with the language used.

“Everyone still says female athletes or female cricket,” she said.

“But we’re athletes playing cricket.

“We need to stop being compared to the men’s game and be recognised for playing the same sport in our own field.

“It’s going to take a long time to change, but hopefully it will start to happen sooner rather than later.”