Champion cricketer Karen Rolton has explained the financial challenges Australian women’s players once faced.
Rolton, a prolific run-scorer and useful bowler in Test, ODI and T20 cricket, made her international debut in 1995 and went on to win two World Cups, scoring an unbeaten 107 in the 2005 final against India.
The 47-year-old captained Australia from 2006 to 2009 before retiring from international cricket after an incredible 14-year career in January 2010.
“It wasn’t until 1998 where Commonwealth Bank came on board and started sponsoring the Australian team,” Rolton told SEN’s This Is Your Journey – thanks to Tobin Brothers.
“Even when I was playing for Australia in the first two or three years, we had to pay to play, we’d get an invoice after playing and that was for a lot of state tournaments as well.
“It was always pretty tough to work – they were long days working – and doing your own training and then training for club or state cricket.
“But that was something that I guess we got used to doing.”
Rolton averaged 55.66 in Test cricket, 50.62 in T20Is and 48.14 in ODIs.
The South Australian was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2018.