Cricket Australia let go of its head of female engagement Sarah Styles

Cricket Australia is snapping ties with the head of female engagement Sarah Styles as part of its cost reduction drive, under which 40 staffers are being laid off in the wake of the financial crisis, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Styles played a pivotal role in considerably growing the women's game in the country and Cricket Australia's decision to let her go comes just three months after Meg Lanning's side lifted the T20 World Cup with over 86,000 fans watching at the MCG.

CA to snap ties with Sarah Styles

"Cricket Australia has been a pioneer in female engagement in sport and Sarah has been at the forefront of that strategy," CA said in a statement to The Sydney Morning Herald.

"While we are sorry to see Sarah go, her work embedding female engagement across the organisation means we are well placed for continued success."

Gender Equity Victoria director Styles, who had joined CA in 2014, will stay with the organization till the completion of its third "Press for Progress" report, which assesses Australian cricket's progress in making the game country's leading sport For women and girls. The governing body said after Styles' departure "a cross-functional committee sponsored by the executive team will continue to oversee this strategy." According to CA, women has 45 percent representation in its workforce, while five of its 11 executives and three of its nine-member board being women.  The governing body had also parted ways with long-time batting assistant Graeme Hick.