Cricket Victoria celebrates Play Cricket Week with community visits across the state

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.

Victorian, Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades players and staff will visit nearly 90 schools and cricket clubs across Victoria this week.

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.

Play Cricket Week comes as National Cricket Census data was released for the 2022-23 season.

Participation in Victorian cricket by 5-12-year-olds increased 9% year-on-year.

The national entry-level program, Woolworths Cricket Blast, was a key driver of this increase in junior participation, with a 30% increase in registrations from the previous year.

Importantly, Woolworths Cricket Blast participation by girls increased by an incredible 93%, showing more girls than ever are taking up cricket.

Cricket Victoria General Manager Community Cricket David White said Play Cricket Week was a fantastic opportunity for kids to meet their heroes.

“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,” White said.

“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.”

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.”

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

The week of local community cricket action culminates in the Melbourne Cricket Education Academy’s Open Day at the CitiPower Centre on Sunday.

The Melbourne Cricket Education Academy is a tertiary program run by Cricket Victoria in partnership with RMIT University.

Cricket Victoria Play Cricket Week Activity 

Monday 21 August – Wednesday 23 August 

Melbourne Stars Super Stars Road Trip

Visits to East and West Gippsland, the Mornington Peninsula, Victorian High Country and North East Victoria.

Melbourne Renegades Regional Roadshow

Visits to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Warrnambool and Mildura.

Thursday 24 August  

Cricket Victoria school visits in Werribee, Diggers Rest and Springvale.

Friday 25 August 

Cricket Victoria school visits in Ivanhoe, Greensborough and Mitcham.

Sunday 27 August 

Melbourne Cricket Education Academy Open Day
CitiPower Centre
1:00pm – 3:00pm
To find out more about the MCEA visit www.melbournecricketeducationacademy.com.au