Dutch cricketers among world-class players at FairBreak Hong Kong

83 players are divided into six teams that will compete for the tournament win. In 2022 (in Dubai) Sterre Kalis became champions with her team Tornadoes. Just like in 2022, Babette de Leede plays for the Sapphires.

FairBreak, which fights for gender equality, was founded in 2013 by two Australians: Lisa Sthalekhar (former captain of the national cricket team) and the man who was her team manager at the time, Shaun Martyn. The main reason was the fact that female athletes at the time earned much less than their male colleagues.

In addition, there is a lot of talent in smaller cricket countries. That is why - in addition to world-class players from England (Danni Wyatt), West Indies (Deandra Dottin, Stafanie Taylor, Hayley Matthews), Australia (Phoebe Litchfield and others) and South Africa (Laura Wolvaardt, Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail) talents from smaller cricket countries are also invited, such as UAE, PNG, Bhutan, Argentina, Brazil, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. All players will be paid a salary for their performances. Gencor Life Stage Solutions is one of nine tournament sponsors.

For the Netherlands, Sterre Kalis and Babette de Leede will be participating. Sterre has been making a living playing professional cricket in England for several years. Babette combines her studies in Econometrics with a cricket career that has already taken her to a dozen countries.

Sterre will play with the Tornadoes (last year's tournament winner) on April 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10; Babette with the Sapphires on April 4, 7, 9, 11 and 12. On Sunday 9 April at 04.00 hours Dutch time, the Orange teammates will play against each other. The playoffs and the finals will be played from April 14 until 16.

The matches can be seen live online for a small fee via recast.tv.

Photo: Babette de Leede (left) and Sterre Kalis in action for FairBreak (photo: FairBreak)