Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry says Australia’s ODI domination of India can be put down to the increased investment in the women’s game. The pay deal reached between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association last year shot female player payments up from $7.5m to $55.2m.

Perry says Australia was reaping the benefits from the record-breaking deal, resulting in a crushing series triumph in Vadodara on Thursday by winning the second of three ODIs.



“We’re really fortunate to have some wonderful resources and to be full-time cricketers at the moment,” Perry said after the match. “I think that’s really reflecting in the way we’re now approaching tours, the way we’re training and preparing and what we’re putting out on the park. For me, that’s two of the most clinical and professional performances we’ve had.”

The changes by Cricket Australia have forced other countries – including India – to pay more, too. The BCCI announced last week that India’s Grade A women’s players – Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhan – will earn close to $AUD100,000.

It was the first time since 2015 the BCCI had updated their women’s pay scale, rewarding their team for finishing runners-up at last year’s World Cup, which included defeating Australia in the semi-final. Smashing India on their home turf this time around has gone some way towards avenging that result for Meg Lanning’s Australia.

They have a chance to clean sweep the series in the final ODI on Sunday and go level with New Zealand on points in the women’s championship. But Australia will not be finished in the subcontinent after that game, with a T20 tri-series involving the hosts and England to start in Mumbai on 22 March.