Canterbury Cricket has today announced that Amy Satterthwaite and Maria Fahey will be the first recipients of playing contracts offered to female cricketers in Canterbury. Both are members of the Classic Hits Canterbury Magicians and New Zealand White Ferns teams.
Richard Hayward, Director of High Performance & Coaching at Canterbury Cricket, said that he is delighted that Canterbury Cricket is able to lead the way in the contracting of female cricketers in New Zealand. ‘The announcement of these two contracts signals the intention of Canterbury Cricket to ensure there is a pathway for girls and women in cricket in Canterbury. These contracts will enable Amy and Maria to continue to play for the Classic Hits Magicians and help alleviate some of the burden they carry through being largely amateur players. These contracts will help them when they need to take time off work to attend trainings and matches.’
Satterthwaite sees the newly created contracts as a real step forward for the women’s game in New Zealand, ‘It is really fantastic to see Canterbury Cricket taking the initiative to build the women’s game. It bodes well for the future and is a huge step forward. There is now a potential career path in the women’s game and I am extremely pleased to be the first recipient of this honour with Maria.’
Satterthwaite and Fahey were selected by Classic Hits Magicians coach Stephen Cunis and Richard Hayward.
The contracting of Magicians continues a number of initiatives that Canterbury Cricket is implementing this summer to assist the women’s game. These include the appointment of Haidee Tiffen as the Canterbury Women’s Cricket Ambassador and the creation of a girls and women’s coaching team consisting of outstanding coaches Mandie Godliman, Selena Charteris, Rowan Milburn, Michelle Mitchell and Frances MacKay.
