Mel Jones becomes first female director in Cricket Australia as state nominee
Former Aussie cricketer Mel Jones has been elected to the position of a Director in Cricket Australia, becoming the first female appointee in the board as a State Nominee. Jones was conferred with the Medal of the Order of Australia earlier in 2019 for services towards cricket and the community.
In what was a tumultuous time in Cricket Australia's Director appointment, Mel Jones' elevation as a state nominee director from Victoria inspired hopes among the women's cricketers. When Cricket Australia Chairman Earl Eddings, who was also the previous Victorian nominee to CA, lost the backing of his state when he took over the CA boss role from David Peever amid the fallout from the cultural review last year.Â
Apart from Eddings, other two positions held by Mark Taylor and Bob Every were vacant too in the past 15 months but with Jones' appointment, the board has the full complement of nine, with six state-nominated directors and three independents.
“Mel has been an active and inspiring part of the cricket fabric for many years and we are privileged to have her join the board. Australian cricket has been undergoing significant change over the past two years and I’ve no doubt Mel’s experience on and off the field will be an asset to the team as we move into our next phase," Eddings said, reported the Guardian.
“Mel’s commitment to the game and her advocacy, particularly for women in sport, will only bolster our continued focus on advancing cricket to be the number one sport for women and girls.”
In her career, Jones had represented Australia in five Tests and 61 one-dayers, which also includes two World Cup-winning campaigns. Since her retirement in 2005, she has remained in the game and filled various sports administration roles, including in Indigenous communities, schools, women’s and pathways cricket. She has also been one of the leading and most popular commentators of the sport.