The first sculpture of a female cricketer in Australia is set to be installed at the SCG this January and despite a late surge of peer nominations, the recently internationally-retired Rachael Haynes is set to miss out.
Cricket Australia is seeking to address the imbalance of public recognition in women’s cricket and along with the SCG, and Venues NSW, are working to unveil the statue around the Australia v South Africa Test starting January 4.
While the identity of the statue remains a secret, Haynes’s name has been thrown around in WBBL circles after the Sydney Thunder captain called time on her 13-year international career that culminated in a Commonwealth Games gold medal.
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There are 73 known statues and sculptures of cricketers across Australia – every one of them male – but it can be revealed the statue is set to be cast in bronze this month, almost definitely leaving the humble Haynes out of the running.
Legendary allrounder Betty Wilson and former captain Belinda Clark are among the leading candidates but Sydney Sixer Emma Hughes has thrown her support behind Haynes.
“Surely Rach has to be considered? She has done it all … T20 World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Commonwealth Games., I don’t think any of us would be disappointed with Belinda Clark or Betty Wilson either, but Rach must be part of the conversation,” Hughes, who is sitting out this WBBL season while recovering from an ACL injury, said.
“And if she’s not the first maybe she can be the second.”
Haynes scored nearly 4000 runs across all three formats including 98 on Test debut against England in 2009 but in addition to late timing, also standing in her way is her own appointment to the Recognition of Women in Cricket Working Group.
The likes of former Australian player Lisa Sthalekar and Bradman Museum executive director Rina Hore are also among the members who sit on this group.
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Addressing the imbalance of public recognition for women in sport – not only in statues, but across all areas of sport – is a major focus for Kayo and Fox as they aim to stream and broadcast a record number of women’s sport hours.
The blockbuster coverage has seen AFLW, NRLW, Netball Internationals, WBBL, LPGA and select Ladies European Tour events, and more crossover throughout September and October with wall-to-wall action for the Foxtel Group’s 2.5 million sports subscriber base.
Perth Scorcher and breakout Australian player Alana King added: “I just love that women are getting the chance to be put on our screens. We’ve been crying out for that for a long time.
“The younger generation are seeing all these different codes providing pathways to play at a professional level and earn a living playing sport – which really is the best job in the world.”
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 and only Kayo Sports has every WBBL match live and on demand.
