Cricket Australia launches Play Cricket Week and releases census numbers for the 2022/23 season

Cricket Australia has this week launched Play Cricket Week which sees almost 150 Australian, State and Big Bash players will make appearances at community clubs, schools and special events nationally throughout August to promote cricket and help drive program and club registrations for this summer.

Victorian, Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades players and staff will visit nearly 90 schools and cricket clubs across Victoria this week with Cricket Victoria General Manager Community Cricket David White stating that Play Cricket Week was a fantastic opportunity for children to meet their heroes.

White enthused “we’re really excited to kick off the upcoming cricket season with Play Cricket Week and have players visiting clubs and schools right across the state.

“To see the looks on the faces of the kids involved is inspiring. Whether you’re in Mildura or East Gippsland, we’re coming to a local ground or school near you, ready to play.”

Alongside the launch of the National community program, Cricket Australia has also released its census numbers for the 2022-23 season which show significant growth in female participation - registered participation among women and girls in cricket clubs up 26% to 50,377.

Australia's women's team has enjoyed an extraordinary period of success, having defended their T20 World Cup crown and retained the Ashes so far this year.

Cricket Australia General Manager of community cricket James Allsopp told AAP "for young girls to see that in multiple sports, there's a genuine opportunity to make your career through sport; whether it's through administration, coaching, officiating, but most importantly playing, so absolutely we're seeing that flow through to the grassroots of the game.

"It's just amazing what's happened at the elite end and how it's just having that flow-on effect to inspiring the next generation of girls coming through our grassroots program.

"We're not alone in that; other sports are experiencing the same thing.

"But I do feel like cricket played a real leading role in professionalising the game and putting the women's game on a pedestal."

Cricket Australia aims to capitalise on the recent thrilling men's and women's Ashes series in England.

Census numbers showed an increase of 11% in children aged five-to-12 taking up cricket last season.

Allsopp added "the halo effect of a winter Ashes is certainly translating into more kids being interested in cricket earlier.”

Australia held the men's T20 World Cup last October and November, with bumper crowds turning out to watch games involving India and Pakistan.

There was a spike of 60% in girls aged five-to-12 from South Asian backgrounds playing cricket during the census period.

Boys in the same age bracket from South Asian communities were up 16%.

"Making sure we engage with South Asian communities is a real big focus for us over the next period of time," Allsopp said.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE 2022-23 AUSTRALIAN CRICKET CENSUS

• Total registered participants: up from 598,931 to 627,693 (+5%).

• Registered participation in cricket clubs (junior and senior) and Blast programs: up from 393,921 to 409,642 (+4%).

• Registered participation among women and girls in cricket clubs (senior and junior) and Blast: up from 40,143 to 50,377 (+26%).

• Children aged 5-12: up from 116,000 to 129,000 (+11%).

• Blast registrations: Up from 56,464 to 69,879 (+24%).

• Junior club cricket registrations: remained consistent with 108,100 children

• South-Asian boys and girls aged 5-12 registered for participation: Girls +60%, Boys +16%.

Play Cricket Week
Queensland Bulls, Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat players are out in force around the State this month as Play Cricket week activities launch the national participation campaign.

The ‘StreetSmarts Regional Tour’ is also underway which aligns with Play Cricket Week.

The statewide tour will see Brisbane Heat players travel throughout Queensland visiting schools and cricket clubs to promote the game of cricket and help raise awareness about road safety.

StreetSmarts road safety messaging will also be included providing a fun and educational event for all children.

More than 70 Heat, Bulls and Fire players will make Play Cricket week appearances across the State between now and next Monday, attending schools, cricket clubs and associations and Woolworths Cricket Blast clinics and showcases.

The release of the 2022-23 Australian Cricket Census figures shows Queensland was the only State to increase its club cricket-based entry level Woolworths Blast participation, with the latest numbers revealing a 23% increase over four years.

Overall, there were 105,091 registered participants in Queensland, with women and girls’ participation rising nine percent on the last Census period.

Will Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Sophie Day are just some of the players heading out across Victoria this week as Play Cricket Week lands in towns across the state.

The regional tours include visits to schools during the day and grassroots cricket clubs in the evenings, where staff and players will spend time with local community cricketers at functions, player-led coaching masterclasses and clinics.

On Thursday and Friday, Victorian cricketers and Cricket Victoria staff will head to schools around metropolitan Melbourne, where they will host interactive clinics with school students.

Mount Waverley Cricket Club in Melbourne’s east is one club that has witnessed the growth of women and girls’ cricket first-hand.

The club now has six junior girls’ teams and around 20% of their Woolworths Cricket Blast participants are female.

“Each year we have an increasing number of girls in our Woolworths Cricket Blast program and starting out in junior cricket,” said club President David Grossman.

“The profile of elite female cricket and more broadly elite female sport has certainly broken down the barrier or the perception that playing traditionally male dominated sports isn’t something available to girls – it is now clearly an ambition they can aspire to.”

Image top:Play Cricket Week. Credit: Cricket Victoria; Image centre:Geelong Women's Cricket team. Credit: Cricket Victoria;Image above: Play Cricket Week QLD