Erin Osborne says a major pay increase will put pressure on Australia's domestic cricketers to lift the standard of women's cricket - but the new ACT Meteors coach is relishing the challenge.
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WNCL players will now receive a minimum contract worth $60,000 for their 12-game season after Cricket Australia and the players association struck a new pay deal last month.
The Meteors will now boast some of the highest-paid female athletes in Canberra with the minimum wage dwarfing what is on offer in other sports.
"Once you add money to the equation then that definitely does add pressure because the majority of girls will now be solely focusing on cricket," Osborne said.
"It will add pressure and we will need to address that early on in the season, but then also it provides an opportunity for them to develop and spend more time at cricket working on their skills and I know that we're really excited for that.
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"For it to be a genuine career path, I think that will bring more young girls to the game. To see women's sport become a genuine career option, I think it will only grow the game at that community level."
Osborne steps in to replace Jono Dean as Meteors coach, after the latter shifted across to lead the rebirth of the ACT Comets in the national second XI competition.
Katie Mack will captain the Meteors, with former Australian quick Holly Ferling and Carly Leeson to serve as her deputies.
Jannatul Sumona, Grace Lyons, Paris Bowdler, Grace Dignam, and Amy Hunter are the new faces in the ACT squad, with Ange Reakes, Matilda Lugg [both retired], Zoe Cooke [Queensland] and Amy Yates [delisted] out the door.
A similar squad means Osborne, who has also joined the Australia A coaching staff as an assistant, has played with the bulk of the Meteors players she now coaches.
"I've definitely thought a lot about that, I've played with the majority of the Meteors players and I think it's a big positive I don't have to reestablish any relationships," Osborne said.
"It's going to be a little bit tricky navigating the friendship and crossing over into the coaching role, but if we're really clear on the expectations and the behaviours that we want to display as the Meteors, then I don't see why I can't juggle both.
"I actually think we've got a really nicely balanced squad in terms of that youth, but also pushing the older girls in continuing to get better.
"I think we will be quite competitive this season, but its just instilling that belief in that young group that they actually do belong on the domestic stage."
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