World Cup-winning skipper Meg Lanning is one of the first Aussie internationals to make herself unavailable for the domestic cricket season and former Southern Stars teammate Rachael Haynes has predicted she won’t be the last.
The Melbourne Stars icon will miss the upcoming WBBL season as the Australian captain continues her indefinite leave from the game after leading the national side to Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham.
In comparison, Lanning’s vice-captain Haynes has called time on her own 13-year international career that included 167 games across all formats but will lead Sydney Thunder in WBBL08 before calling stumps.
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But as the popularity and professionalism of women’s sport grows, and the Aussie women take centre against a touring schedule that includes tours of India, a T20 World Cup in South Africa and an Ashes series in England in the next 10 months, Haynes has a simple warning: “Something has to give.”
“Meg has her own reasons for taking a break but for the first time our athletes are asking themselves what does finding balance look like,” Haynes said.
“We are experiencing all these amazing opportunities and now we are at the point that individuals need to work out what are the good opportunities to take.
“Playing for your country is one of those.
“But you do have to ask yourself, where do domestic tournaments now sit? Do you make yourself available or is taking a break more beneficial to your performance at an international level.
“Balancing your time in amongst the excitement and growth of women’s cricket is something we are thinking more deeply about because it’s easy to get caught up.
“There’s a level of performance and pressure expected from internationally contracted players and I think finding the balance for individuals, is our next frontier.
“It’s about taking a look at the next 12 months and seeing where international and domestic cricket sits amongst that.
“Anticipating that you’ll be part of everything is a lofty goal for the best players in the world.
“And I think you’ll see more international players sitting out domestic competitions.”
Haynes scored nearly 4000 runs across all three formats, including 98 on Test debut against England in 2009, two ODI centuries and 19 half-centuries.
She played pivotal roles in Australia’s Women’s T20 World Cup victories in 2018 and 2020, Women’s World Cup win in 2022 and Australia’s historic Commonwealth Games gold medal run in July.
Haynes, who currently serves as a director for the Australian Cricketers Association, won’t be drawn on the future of Lanning but has endorsed the sport for Brisbane Olympics 2032.
“I think there’s a mutually beneficial goal for both the IOC – in regards to the Olympics and its standing in Asia and I know cricket would love to leverage the American market.
“Whether cricket is included or not, what I do know is that the growth of cricket – and women’s sport will continue to grow.”
COVERAGE of this year’s WBBL is part of Kayo’s commitment to women’s sport which features a record number of broadcast hours throughout September and October.
The WBBL starts on October 13 and only KAYO Sports will have every WBBL match live and on demand.
