Community cricket 2019/20 - Cricket NSW
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a year in 2019/20
community
cricket
In 2019/20 over 1,500 Players, Volunteers, Stakeholders and School Ambassadors were provided tickets
to WBBL, BBL, T20 International, One Day International and Test Match fixtures as thanks for their service
to cricket across NSW and ACT.
Many enjoyed a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ experience by playing or walking on the hallowed turf of the Sydney
Cricket Ground as part of Cricket NSW’s On Ground Experience program.
Community Cricket team members at the 2020 Sydney Test Match
CONTENTS
please enjoy 2
our 19/20 priorities 3
their way 4
a newie t20 5
a sixers league of their own
tilly & ELLYSE
model school
6
8
9 17
11
syd on tour 9
making history 10
rainbow CRICKET 11
with open arms 12
northern exposure 14
a special 100 16
the unbelievable gesture 17
thunder goes west! 17
the women’s regional bash
arrives 18
14
winner winner 20
helping hands 21
girls rule 21
DUBBO GIRLS BLAST OFF! 22
misdc is a winner 23
preparing for the future/now 24
leading e-scoring 25
it’s good to be young 26
batting bushfires 28
DROUGHT BREAKER 29
4
26
A YEAR IN COMMUNITY CRICKET 2019/20 was put together by Neil McDonald, Fiona Penny, Hayley Frasa, Kate
Jackson, Jenna Purcell, Andy Meikle and Matt Ellis with stories and pictures from the entire Community Cricket team.
Thank you to everyone for your efforts throughout the year and for capturing it in this report.
2
please enjoy
The 2019/20 season is in many ways the beginning of a powerful and united purpose between our wonderful volunteers
and Cricket NSW. A shared love of cricket has been the foundation for a great year as staff worked closely with Clubs,
Associations and Schools across NSW and ACT to grow the game.
Whether it be by introducing kids to cricket for the first time, supporting clubs to be vibrant and welcoming places
within their community, assisting coaches and parents help young talent be the best they can be or planning for
crickets future with emerging formats, facility upgrades or technology to make volunteers lives easier, our commitment
is strong, and the rewards are many.
We are committed to ensure all Australians can enjoy cricket no matter who they are or where they are from, and
often the work we do is in parts of our community where cricket may not have been or played. Much of what we do
is not recorded, it doesn’t show in stats or participation figures, but it is vitally important if we want to ensure cricket
continues to be Australia’s sport of choice. But it does show on the faces of those who are experiencing that first
moment of love for the game.
The joy of taking a wicket for the first time. The satisfaction of hitting that first boundary. The exhilaration of winning
a tough game with your friends. Those are the things that make cricket special, and we want as many people to
experience that as we can.
We want Clubs to be strong. We want players of all ages to make friends, make runs and take wickets like their family
and friends before them. We also know that cricket today may not be the cricket of yesterday and we will continue to
work with all Clubs as we enter the future of our sport together.
Community Cricket is a long game. We aren’t trying to do it all today, and we certainly don’t think we can do it alone.
Our volunteers are the life blood, and our role is to support and lead those people who give up their time to allow
others to enjoy the game. We want to make it easier for you, and help you grow your clubs and competitions. And there
is a lot we can do to make that happen.
A YEAR IN COMMUNITY CRICKET 2019/20 is a glimpse into the wide and varied work the Cricket NSW Community
Cricket team has done across NSW and ACT in the 2019/20 season. More than just school visits, the CNSW Community
Cricket team genuinely lives the purpose of “inspiring everyone to play and love cricket” while providing leadership
and support to our wonderful volunteers and communities.
Please enjoy a small glimpse into some of the wonderful successes and experiences that cricket has had during 2019/20
and we look forward to working harder than ever with our communities to ensure cricket is strong in NSW and ACT for
many years to come.
Ivan Spyrdz
General Manager
CNSW Community Cricket
3
our 19/20
priorities
To ensure the Australian Community Cricket We agree to stay the course on junior cricket (ELP,
provided a focused and united approach to Girls, Junior Format’s) with an enhanced focus on
collective success in growing cricket across diversity, indoor opportunities, coaching, marketing
and better coordinating W/BBL & international cricket
Australia, the 2019/20 Community Cricket
opportunities.
Priorities were announced.
We will continue to engage schools through our
These priorities provided a solid foundation program offerings with a focus on the transition to local
of leadership and support to clubs and clubs and activating teachers to deliver.
associations, driving towards an aligned
strategy of success for all levels of the entire We will maximise the investment in the Australian
Australian Cricket family. Cricket Infrastructure Fund with the Field Force playing
a critical role.
With each CNSW Community Cricket team
We will continue our work with local clubs and
member remaining focused on these priorities,
associations to embed child safe practices.
we are able to have a highly successful year of
cricket across the NSW/ACT in 2019/20. We will plan and execute the agreed legacy initiatives
for the ICC T20 World Cup.
We will make it easier for clubs to run cricket by
supporting them to introduce online registration for
all juniors and increasing the adoption of electronic
scoring through the App.
4
It was becoming more and more obvious that as cricket’s popularity continues to rise in the homes
across NSW, we were missing something. Something that when pointed out became obvious. A
large part of our community was not being looked after. A group of people so important to cricket
in so many ways, we often took them for granted, never putting two and two together thinking
they too may want to play, but in a different way.
their way
In recognition of a significant gap
in cricket offerings for females over
With 12 teams under lights at a
Premier Cricket Ground and with
Northern Districts Cricket Club took
the opportunity to give back to their
16 years of age, Cricket NSW in team names like “Got the Runs” community through cricket and
partnership with Northern Districts and “Pitch Perfect” a top-quality must be congratulated for being
Cricket Club hosted the first Sixers experience was all but guaranteed. leaders in this space.
Social Women’s Cricket event at
Mark Taylor Oval. To ensure all players had a fair go the Thank you to the Northern Districts
format used a soft ball, was 8-a-side Cricket Club for their unwavering
Cricket Manager for the North Shore and each game lasted 45 minutes. commitment to the promotion of
Daniel Anderson said the driving Women’s Cricket.
force behind this program was After the match players and
wanting to provide an opportunity. volunteers were invited into the The great support of players
NDCC Clubhouse for drinks and and committee members who
An opportunity for all of the mums, nibbles. The social atmosphere came came along each week was very
sisters, partners, cousins and friends to life and lots of new friendships much appreciated, in particular
of our cricket community to play the were made. club President Jeremy Hook and
game that they have likely watched, Coordinator Nathan Smith.
volunteered in and played as kids. What made the competition so
successful? Strong partnerships Thank you also to Hornsby Council
Northern Districts Cricket Club between the club and Cricket NSW, who allowed access to the lights
heavily promoted the program a clearly defined purpose and a each week.
through its extensive networks and passion to deliver.
offered a ‘Come and Try’ event.
Initial expectations were exceeded
with 65 attendees, rising to 91
registered players.
The competition ran for six weeks
on a Wednesday night from 7pm-
8:30pm. Current NDCC First Grade
players volunteered their time
to umpire matches and deliver
coaching tips and tricks in a “Choose
your own adventure” skills session
pre-game.
5
a newie
newie t20
To Cricket NSW staff members Daniel
Anderson, Akshay Trivedi and Jeni
Lee who worked tirelessly as support
during the program to ensure it ran
smoothly and were often the weekly
welcoming committee. The belief that there was an appetite for short-form Cricket to
attract players who had left the game owing to work, family
commitments or simply not wanting to play ‘all day’ proved
To local MP Alister Henskins.
correct with the inaugural Men’s T20 Social competition played in
Alister was kind enough to make
Newcastle during February and March 2020.
an appearance throughout the
program, making mention of its
Limiting team numbers to only eight, it took less than 24 hours for the
success in State Parliament. We inaugural competition to be fully subscribed and have a waiting list!
are very grateful for his ongoing
support. Played on hard wickets with all equipment provided, the competition
was capped at eight teams who participated in the two-hour experience
And finally the players, without on Sunday mornings. The emphasis on social was underlined with
whom there would have been no plenty of laughs between big hitting and ‘speckie’ catches being taken.
competition. The roll up each week The social pilot allowed for a number of innovations to be trialled that
was phenomenal. included:
We look forward to seeing Social • Online registration and payment
Women’s Cricket continuing to grow • 9 players per team
and prosper - their way! • A ball count for batters
• 10 overs bowled from one end before switching ends
• Umpires who also E-scored matches
• Back-to-back matches maximising ground use & hire costs
Participating players were surveyed about their experience with a
high percentage highlighting three main reasons they returned to the
game:
• Short/time friendly games
• Maximum involvement in game (no sitting around)
• Short 8-week season
Food for thought for senior associations looking to grow the game.
6
a sixers league
of their own
It’s not often you get the chance to play in a brand new league, particularly one that carries the name of the
BBL Champions, but for 1,711 players in Sydney that’s exactly what happened.
In 2018, the South East Junior Cricket Association (SEJCA) become one of the first junior associations in NSW to
participate in our Conference Administration Pilot. Cricket NSW employees provided administrative and competition
management support to volunteer associations. The objectives of this pilot were to alleviate the burden on
volunteers, drive administrative best practice, and standardise policy and competition management operations.
There was a considerable period of consultation with a wide range of stakeholders – club, association and committee
members – to get them comfortable with the concept and to explain the practicalities of the arrangement. Service
Level Agreements were put in place to outline responsibilities of both parties to provide certainty and clarity.
Over the course of 2019, the SEJCA member clubs and the Management Committee were keen to evolve the
Conference Administration arrangement further to give Cricket NSW greater authority and autonomy over the
management of association operations – competition management and the representative cricket program.
An improved relationship and increased trust in Cricket NSW and
Community Cricket staff, Ben Levett (Area Manager - Sydney South East),
Samad Shaikh (Cricket Manager - Sydney East), Michael Ho (Conference
Administrator) provided the opportunity to push the boundaries of
where professionalised administration of cricket could go.
After more consultation individually and collectively with stakeholders:
• South Eastern Junior Cricket Association delegates voted
unanimously to transfer management of competitions and the
representative program to Cricket NSW;
• CNSW overhauled SEJCA constitution to reflect new MOU
arrangement and drive governance best practice; and
• Rebranded all junior competitions to Sixers Cricket League to
leverage brand recognition and inspire players and fans alike.
The result saw CNSW in effect running three distinct Sixers Cricket League competitions in the first year:
1. SEJCA boys competitions U8 to U17
7
2. Combined boys competitions U12 to U17 - including clubs from SEJCA, Inner West Harbour JCA and
Canterbury Western Suburbs CA
3. Combined girls competitions U11 to U17 – including clubs from SEJCA, IWHJCA, CWSCA, Sutherland Shire
JCA, St George DCA, Bankstown DCA
• Major changes implemented:
• Fully aligned to Australian Junior Cricket Pathway
• Split seasons in all T20 comps (including Friday twilight T20)
• Offerings on both Saturday and Sunday – more choice for parents/players
• Centralised management of girls competitions – away from patchwork of associations running different
age groups
• Opened competitions to all comers – no traditional association barriers
Season 2019/20 was our first season running the Sixers Cricket League. What a season it was. All the natural disasters
and challenges aside, we provided quality competitions and overall were successful in delivering on our objectives
for the season.
SIXERS CRICKET LEAGUE MAJOR BENEFITS
• Massive burden lifted from association
volunteers who were also volunteers at their
local club – allowed them to focus on their clubs
which we see at the most important place for
participation growth;
• Reduced team and player fees by consolidating
and rationalising ground bookings with council
– more efficient use of grounds;
• Improved relationships with and between
stakeholders through better communication
and engagement – council, junior clubs, premier
clubs, association committee;
• Centralised administration and communication
– clarity, certainty and continuity for clubs,
players, parents, clubs and councils.
6 associations
8 lga’s
19 clubs
175 teamS
779 matches
1,711 players L to R: Jonathon McDonald
& Mickey Edwards
8 Mistakes were made along the way but lessons have learned from the
first season and can only improve for 2020/21. The Cricket NSW staff
tried to make it as easy as possible for clubs to thrive by putting on
some good competitions.
Credit to all the clubs for achieve these great results so far:
•
For the local SEJCA boys T20 Saturday competitions U10-13
an increase from 36 teams in 18/19 to 50 teams in 19/20
• For the Sixers Cricket League girls competition:
o In 2018/19
Spring season 27 teams – Summer season 30 teams
o In 2019/20
Spring season 38 teams – Summer season 37 teams
• Managed a total of 303 participating teams:
o 133 in Spring season
o 126 in Summer season
o 44 full season
• Conducted a post season survey of all participating clubs
with positive ratings and feedback
We hoped to have a big celebration at the end of season presentation
however this had to be cancelled due to health and government
advice at the time around COVID-19.
During lockdown, our team organised for Sixers players to record
congratulatory messages to all the premiership winning teams.
Medals and trophies were distributed to clubs to present to their
teams when it is appropriate and we look ahead to another great
season in 2020-21.
t i l ly& ELLY S E Perry in an unforgettable one-on-one opportunity. Just
when she thought things could not get any better, she was
then chosen to take a special trip to Melbourne to be told
by Perry that she was selected in the 2020 Australian World
Cup team and presented an Australian shirt signed by her
hero.
Lindsey Lewer, a dedicated School Ambassador, Support
Unit teacher in the Hunter and Tilly’s mum, was thrilled to
go on the journey with her daughter in season 2019/20,
commenting that Tilly and some of her friends who were
given the opportunity to meet Perry had “been bitten by
cricket”.
Lindsey summed up the experiences presented to her
daughter by saying “I can’t even process this”, “Cricket
delivers AGAIN” and “Ellyse Perry is every bit the superstar
Connections at community level are vital to what we and Goddess that Tilly believes her to be”!
do at Cricket NSW and the heartwarming story of Tilly
Lewer is a testament to this! The Lewer family in no way expected this opportunity
presented by Cricket NSW staff Gary and Paige, Jodie
Tilly Lewer, a Sixers Girls League player in the first Maitland Hawkins and the Sydney Sixers or Cricket Australia and
competition, who absolutely idolises Ellyse Perry and was Ellyse Perry, but it is a fantastic story displaying the lengths
lucky enough to meet her, not once but twice this season, these people are willing to go to ensure positive cricket
in encounters watched on by many across the country experiences are shared at community level, as without
holding back the tears. Tilly hosted her birthday party at the support and passion demonstrated by people like the
a Sixers WBBL game and was surprised at the end of the Lewer family the game wouldn’t be as fun, inspirational
game when she was given an opportunity to meet Ellyse and successful without them!model school syd
9
on
Baulkham Hills North Public School is a shining example of what
we see as a completely engaged school that goes over and above
in their local sporting community. The school is actively engaged
tour
with cricket embedded in the Curriculum through Mascots
Challenge, Self-Run Woolworths Health & PE (HPE) programs and
Woolworths Inter and Intra School Cups.
Teachers Mark Gardner and Michelle Davis-Rigoli are School
Ambassadors and the driving force behind the school’s love of cricket. The Greater Hunter was the
The Mascots Challenge and HPE programs have been delivered by place to be this year, with
the school for a number of years now, and more recently have had students in Northern NSW
great success in School Cups, winning their local and regional gala schools receiving visits from
days two years in a row. not one, but two special guests
Sydney Sixers guests.
Michelle began implementing HPE at the school and continues to roll
it out every year. The students now look forward to reaching Year 5,
Syd Sixer was caught on the
where they undertake the HPE program, and the K-2 students love
the Mascots Challenge activities, with a visit from the Sydney Thunder move, making an appearance
mascot to complete the program. Michelle was also instrumental in at Newcastle Middle School,
assisting with setting up Intra-School Cups, which is now run at the following a Mascot Challenge
completion of the HPE program with Year 5. She has also actively and Health & Physical Education
engaged Year 6 students to assist teachers and CNSW staff in umpiring (HPE) program.
the day. The involvement and progression of students through the
years is a model for other schools. Syd was stoked to make the
trip up the M1 and have a
Mark organises the school teams for Inter School Cups, as well as quick getaway out of Sydney
running the Castle Hill Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) up to beautiful Newcastle to
Cricket Competition. Mark also takes time out of his own schedule to congratulate students on their
run additional training for both school Gala Day teams as well as PSSA fantastic efforts and watch them
teams. Over the past two years, Cricket Manager Mitch Elvery has demonstrate the new skills they
worked closely with Mark to encourage female involvement within learned inc ricket
the school. Mark has allowed Cricket NSW to run lunch time training
and ‘Come and Try’ sessions for girls which have been a great success, Syd managed to take a few
with the Year 5 and 6 girls team winning back-to-back regional finals sneaky trips to the beach for
in School Cup Gala Days. This has set the culture for the younger girls some beach cricket, before
coming through.
putting his feet up to rest to get
ready for a busy W/BBL season.
The school is surrounded by a number of local junior cricket clubs,
all of which take the opportunity to promote and engage with
the students. Mark has assisted Cricket NSW in connecting girls to Further up the road at Tea
the clubs and was pivotal in the creation of female teams at both Gardens Public School, some
Baulkham Hills CC and Hills Barbarians CC. This is testament to Mark lucky students were visited
and his willingness to go above and beyond in his support for girls by Sydney Sixers player Justin
playing cricket. Avendano, who brought the
BBL|09 Trophy with him as an
Howzat! extra bonus.
The students from Tea Gardens
Public School have just finished
completing the Sydney Sixers Be
The Best Me Leadership program.
This program is designed to
equip students with essential
knowledge and tools to be the
best versions of themselves.Last season, a pilot program took place in the Illawarra which was designed to help link schools and clubs together, and ultimately turn school participants into club registered players. The pilot program reaped some great results, with an increase in school and student engagement, which in turn saw a rise in registered participation. School children had the opportunity to participate in school programs such as HPE, the Mascot Challenge and School Cups, and were able to engage with local club volunteers. Local clubs were instrumental in helping Cricket NSW staff with this program, attending local gala days and HPE sessions, which allowed students the opportunity to get involved with their local club. Driven by Cricket Manager, Paul Brockley and Participation Officer Jenna Purcell, clubs were grateful for the work that Cricket NSW was doing in schools. “We’ve doubled our numbers in the Blasters program at Albion Park this year. I’m sure this is a direct effort of the increased school program you and your team ran.,” said Todd Mitchell, Junior Secretary for Albion Park Cricket Club. “Just thought I’d let you know that your efforts are working.” making history History was made in the Cricket Albury Wodonga District A Grade this season when the Hoskin family combination opened the bowling together. It was the first time a father and daughter opened the bowling! Aaron, 40 and Ebony, 16, teamed up in the second half of the 2019/20 season for Howlong Spiders sharing the new ball with great success. A veteran of CAW, Aaron was the leading wicket taker in the competition with 31, while Ebony took 23 wickets at the impressive average of 16.2. Both enjoyed outstanding seasons playing all 18 matches and combining for a total of 54 wickets for the Spiders. A tough and fierce competitor, father Aaron admitted to a tear in his eye when told by the captain they would be sharing the new ball. “There is plenty of banter in the household about who is taking the most wickets,” Aaron said. Ebony is one of NSW Country’s rising stars and was chosen as a reserve for the NSW Under 18 side that played in Tasmania at the national titles. Both Ebony played alongside Alex Blackwell in the Border Bullets Plan B Regional Bash clash against ACT Aces in Canberra.
11
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“Cricket N12 with open arms At Cricket NSW, our Community Cricket staff strive to make cricket A Sport for All. This season the team from Sydney North West have actively demonstrated this through their work with the students at the Royal Institute of Deaf and Blind Children. RIDBC students participated in a four-week Health and Physical Education (HPE) program, learning the key skills of bowling, batting and fielding, including catching and throwing. Modifications made the experience enjoyable for students that were hard of hearing or had low to no vision. The program featured special guests such as the coach of the NSW Blind and Low Vision team, Jason Stubbs, who highlighted to the students all the different equipment they use, such as balls that rattle, stumps that are made from steel which rattle and are coloured bright orange. School teacher Chris Ashenden provided great support to the program, using his previous experience of playing cricket alongside former Australian Cricket Captain Michael Clarke as inspiration to begin working with Cricket NSW. Chris is now the coach of the NSW Deaf and Hard of Hearing team, demonstrating that our work in schools not only impacts students, but also teachers. Following the program, students engaged in a competitive school cup and even battled it out in a student vs teacher game. Students that day were lucky enough to receive a visit from an ex-student Austin Phillips, who has played for NSW in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Team. Cricket Manager Sabrina Shaideen and Participation Officer Cass Hassarati rated this as their most challenging but rewarding experience. “To see the smiles and hear the laugher of the students once they hit the ball was just electric. It was such a great day for everyone involved and the RIDBC really accepted us with open arms.”
13
14
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16
a special 100
On the morning of 20 November 2019 preparations at A number of players were soon engaged with the
North Dalton Park, Wollongong were well underway students, assisting and providing guidance on skills.
for the WBBL Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers
game and excitement was building. What an incredible experience for this amazing group of
students. One they will never forget.
On the Eastern edge of the field a large group of students
were gathering together to begin a cricket gala day. Thanks to Sydney Thunder, the Illawarra Community
There were 100 students from Special Education Units Cricket team were able to organize free tickets for
across the Illawarra. attendees and their carers, to remain and watch the
Thunder vs Strikers game.
For many, this would be one of only a few sporting
opportunities and their first taste of cricket! Sydney Thunder’s ‘number one fan’ and year 12 student,
Jack Crewley, at his final School Cup, was given the
The Illawarra Community Cricket team assisted the opportunity to do the bat flip for the main game. All
students throughout the morning, giving all students players signed the bat and presented it to Jack.
the chance to bowl, bat and field.
As the time for the main game neared, the players from
Sydney Thunder arrived to begin warming up. Curious as
to what was happening on field, the players made their
way over to the group.
L to R: Rachael Haynes, Jack Crewley, Suzie Batesthe unbelievable gesture 17 The Sydney South West team has always taken great pride in their work and know that students and teachers are grateful for the opportunities that the team provides in schools. One school, Mount Annan Christian College, went the extra mile to show their appreciation. Students from the school went to great lengths to thank their coaches by putting together cardboard cut outs of Sydney Thunder Woolworths Cricket Blast shirts and cricket bats. Students signed their names to shirts and penned a thank you note to put on the cardboard bat, putting to use the cricket terms they learned over the course of the program. Coaches were gifted with these tokens of appreciation at the conclusion of the sporting schools program, with Participation Officer Nick Appleton and his casual staff blown away by the gesture. “It was an unbelievable gesture from the school and something that l and my casual staff won’t forget for a very long time.” thunder goes west! The Mazda Sydney Thunder Bus toured Far West NSW to reward schools for their support of cricket in the region. St Patrick’s Brewarrina, Wongarbon Public School, St John’s Trangie, Peak Hill Central School, Narromine Public School, Burrabadine Christian Community School & St Pius X, Dubbo were the fortunate schools to benefit from the recent tour. School children from St Patrick’s in Brewarrina were the first to have a taste of the activities on board the bus as well as enhance their cricket skills participating in a range of fun modified games. This included the opportunity to play modified games on the Nickelodeon ‘Crash the Bash’ inflatable cricket pitch. Much to the delight of students, Sydney Thunder BBL Mascot Thor made a surprise visit to Brewarrina, Wongarbon and Trangie joining in the activities in some of the sessions. Meanwhile, Sydney Thunder WBBL Mascot Storm was on hand to inspire girls and boys at Narromine Public School showing some handy skills with both bat and ball. Heidi, a student at Narromine was thrilled to have the Thunder Bus visit saying ‘The cricket was fantastic, especially Storm the mascot’ Rihanna, who also took part in the session, concurred by adding: ‘We got to meet the mascot, Storm and see what activities cricket players do to keep their skills honed.’
18
the women’s
regional
bash arrives
Women’s Cricket across Regional NSW was reshaped
in 2020 with the launch of the inaugural NSW
Women’s Regional Bash. Generously supported by the
International Cricket Council Twenty20 World Cup 2020
and the NSW Government, the tournament provided
further opportunities for females to get involved in the
cricketing pathway.
Eight teams competed for the title. Central Coast Rush,
Newcastle Blasters, Coffs Coast Chargers and Northern
Inland Bolters made up the Sixers Conference with the
Thunder Conference comprising Illawarra Flames, Orana
Outlaws, ACT Aces and Border Bullets.
Round 1 results:
Newcastle Blasters 2/90 d Central Coast Rush 89
Coffs Coast Chargers 4/114 d Northern Inland Bolters 7/99
Orana Outlaws 6/104 d by Illawarra Flames 0/105
ACT Aces 3/111 d Border Bullets 3/110
Highlights from the first round included former Australian
and NSW and Thunder legend Alex Blackwell taking the
field for the Border Bullets. Alex very generously gave her
time to be part of the side, no doubt a thrill for the younger
players who would have gained from Alex’s experience.
Australian, NSW and Sixers paceman Josh Hazlewood also
gave his time making an appearance at the games hosted
in Tamworth. Josh flipped the coin for the women’s match
and spent time with young players during an on-ground
blast event. Another spectacle for all the children and
players involved.
Successful in winning their first round matches the Blasters,
Chargers, Flames and Aces headed to the hallowed turf of
the Sydney Cricket Ground to compete in the Semi Finals
with the winners of each match contesting the final to be
played under lights.19
Teams arrived at the SCG early in the day ready to play but Winning the toss Jackson elected to bat first and make
were in awe as they walked through the gates and into the the most of the conditions. A classy display by NSW Bush
dressing rooms. Acknowledging the caliber of players who Breaker Naomi McDonald saw the opening partnership
had sat in those very sheds before them was a humbling pass 100. McDonald finished the innings with 90 runs to
experience not lost on the many cricket tragics amongst her name as the Chargers scored 2/152.
the group.
Needing 153 to win ACT went out hard but lost opener
“Just thinking about all the players who have played on that Victoria King to the ball of the day from Chargers quick
ground. Obviously, it will be a memory we will all cherish Ellynie Cameron. Two early wickets put the Aces on the
for a while,” said ACT Aces Captain Kelly Rowlings. back foot until the skipper steadied the innings making
a well compiled 42 only losing her wicket whilst trying
All matches played on the day were live streamed with to lift the run rate. Caitlin Galeano made 37 in the 76-run
commentary on ground provided by CNSW staff. partnership with Rowlings. ACT Aces finished their innings
at 5/110 handing Coffs Coast Chargers the first Women’s
“The coverage of this event is really going to go a long way Regional Bash title.
to growing girls’ cricket in regional areas,” said Kate Jackson,
Coffs Coast Chargers Captain. Final result:
Coff Coast Chargers 2/152 d ACT Aces 5/110
Sixers Conference Final:
Newcastle Blasters 89 d by Coffs Coast Chargers 0/90 A massive thank you to the NSW Government and ICC T20
Thunder Conference Final: World Cup 2020 for their support in ensuring this fantastic
ACT Aces 5/152 d Illawarra Flames 97 opportunity for regional players.
For the players making the Final there was an element of
nervousness in the air. ACT Aces and Coffs Coast Chargers
skippers made their way out to the middle for the toss.20
winner
winner
Across NSW/ACT, volunteers are the lifeblood of cricket. Whether sitting on committees, umpiring, welcoming
new families to a club, coaching or turning a sausage at the ground, volunteers keep cricket going every summer.
While we can’t recognise every single volunteer and the great work they do, each year Australian Cricket recognises many
volunteers and clubs through the ‘A Sport for All’ Awards.
This year NSW saw two of its own recognised for the great work they’re doing in the community.
Community Match Official of the Year – Bruce Wood
Young Community Leader of the Year – Danielle Chivers
Bruce Wood is a highly respected umpire who has officiated
At just 15 years of age, Danielle Chivers is already seen as a in the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai area for the past 19 years.
role model for young cricketers.
Currently, Mr Wood is a member of the Hornsby Ku-ring-
Danielle, who plays Second Grade for Northern District gai & Hills District Cricket Umpires’ Association Executive
Cricket Club in McDonald’s NSW Women’s Premier Cricket, Committee where he has volunteered for the past 10 years.
is a passionate volunteer. She has coached at a number He has umpired more than 500 official cricket matches and,
of community initiatives including several school holiday for the past four years, has been the coordinator of the
programs, the West Pennant Hills-Cherrybrook Cricket Club Combined Associated Schools (CAS) schoolboy umpiring.
(WPHCCC) Academy, School Come and Try sessions and
the Blowfly Cricket All Abilities Program. She also umpires Bruce is an umpire and match official who leads by
Sixers Women’s Social Cricket. example in championing safe, fair and enjoyable cricket
for all. Although his dedication to umpiring and cricket in
On top of all these programs, Danielle finds time to be the general goes back two decades, he has had an outstanding
Head Coach of the WPHCCC Junior Blasters program for season in 2019-20 and has clearly demonstrated a focus on
over 100 children, where she strives to inspire boys and participation, high quality programs and inclusiveness.
girls to love and play cricket every week.
As well as umpiring cricket each weekend and being the
Danielle’s bubbly and enthusiastic nature has had a CAS Umpires’ Co-ordinator, Bruce is the President of the
positive impact on participants and parents alike. Danielle Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai & Hills District Cricket Coaches’
focuses on inclusion at every session, resulting in increased Association. Bruce has held the position of President for a
confidence and participation from the more reserved decade and has inspired hundreds of young cricketers to
players and parents. continue playing the game well into the future. He has also
mentored hundreds of young coaches and given them an
Danielle is a very deserving winner of the Young Community opportunity to pursue a career in cricket.
Leader of the year at the National Sport for All Awards and
is already looking for new ways to help her community Bruce has volunteered and been involved in umpiring
next season. cricket for the past 24 years and has been recognised for
his contributions by being inducted as a Life Member of
On behalf of Cricket
NSW, we would like to four different cricket bodies
congratulate Danielle – HK&HDCA; Coaches’
on her achievements Association; Barker CC; and
to date and can’t wait Normanhurst-Warrawee CC.
to follow her journey as
she continues to inspire Bruce is a deserving winner
everyone to love and of the Community Match
play cricket. Official of the Year at the
National Sport for All Awards
and on behalf of Cricket
NSW we would like to thank
you for your commitment
and contribution to cricket
throughout your career.21
hands
The Country Women’s Association Kiacatoo branch have been the recipients of the goodwill and charitable work
of the Camden Cricket Club during this season’s bushfire disaster.
Identifying the opportunity to help those in need, the local cricket community rallied together to provide some respite to
the rural New South Wales communities.
In a recent trip to far west NSW, the Camden Cricket Club was able to meet with local farming community and provide
some respite from the difficult times by donating of $5,138.
The funds were raised by members of the Camden Cricket Club and have been distributed, along with a range of sporting
equipment, to schools and sporting clubs across the area, including Condobolin, Tullamore and Lake Cargelligo.
Launched during 2018, the support for the communities in far west NSW was driven by Camden Cricket Club stalwart
Greg Pinnington.
“My heart went out to the people in the drought-stricken areas, which is most of Australia. Last year I wanted to help, so I
thought I could collect 1,000 cans of food and take them to the farmers,” Mr Pinnington said.
“In the end, I managed to get 4,000 cans of food and $2,500 in donations. From there I met Sue Baxter from the Condobolin
Country Women’s Association, who was giving out food hampers and vouchers to local businesses with the money.”
Speaking with Sue Baxter and other contacts, Mr Pinnington and the Camden Cricket Club realised the opportunity for
the local cricket community to help those in need.
“Apart from the need of food and money, from what I was hearing, was the numbers in sport were dropping, there were
people suffering from depression because of the drought,” Mr Pinnington said.
“I got massive donations of pre-used and pre-loved cricket gear from the Camden Cricket Club, Sydney Thunder, Cricket
NSW and the Campbelltown-Camden Ghosts Cricket Club and from some of the teams in the CDCA Association.”
It was the year of the girl in Sydney South East this year, with the area team putting in a concerted effort
girls rule
to get girls involved in cricket. The number of girls at School Cups outshone the boys, demonstrating
that cricket is most definitely a sport for girls.
Once again, Gerard Price’s popular Girls Only Year 7 & 8 School Cup day proved a success, with an appearance
from WBBL superstar Sarah Aley, who conducted a Q&A session with the girls and shared her story from humble
beginnings in school cricket and the pathway to the WBBL.
Two teams from the day progressed to the Sydney Sixers Metro Year 7 & 8 Girls final, with students from Port
Hacking High School and Kareela High School representing the Sutherland Shire.
In a highly competitive final, Kareela High school were victorious, and received their medals at North Sydney
Oval prior to the WBBL match between the Sydney Sixers and Hobart Hurricanes.
With a heavy focus on girls cricket it remaining a high priority for the Sydney South East team. There are big
plans for more girls only and come and try days to inspire a love of cricket for girls in the area.22
DUBBO
GIRLS
BLAST OFF!
Female cricket is booming, and success stories are popping up across the state. Dubbo District Cricket
Association’s All Girls Woolworths Cricket Blast program is one of the best.
Family night at Dubbo’s Victoria Park acted as the program launch with families gathering to play games of
Woolworths Cricket Blast before settling in to watch the WBBL season opener between the Sydney Sixers and
Sydney Thunder on the big screen.
Passionate to grow women’s cricket, Cricket Manager for Far West Matt Ellis worked behind the scenes with
Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) girls cricket coordinator Sue Nutall to develop the program.
The All Girls program ran for six weeks on a Thursday afternoon at Lady Cutler Playing Fields and Friday
mornings the Dubbo PSSA Girls Cricket Competition was played at the same venue.
Eighty one girls making up 12 teams registered to take part in the Cricket Blast program alone and 20 girls
teams played the PSSA Cricket Competition in Dubbo, a hugely successful result.
The biggest female program run in South West NSW, Dubbo Junior Girls Cricket was also awarded Cricket NSW
‘A Sport for All’ – Women’s and Girls Initiative of the Year.
Congratulations to all who were involved with the success of the program. Special thanks to coordinator Lisa
Hunt for all of her work throughout the program.23
misdc is a
winner
Located on the North Coast of New South Wales a short diversion off the
Pacific Highway at Kempsey will land you at the Macleay Indoor Sports
and Development Centre (MISDC), winner of the 2020 Cricket NSW ‘A
Sport for All’ Indoor Facility of the Year.
Owned and operated by husband and wife Troy and Shannon McKiernan for
the past eight years, the centre is a hub for members of the local community to
come together and enjoy playing sport in a social and inclusive environment.
One example which illustrates the great work of MISDC throughout their
community is an engagement partnership with their local Clontarf academy.
Supporting the indigenous students in local high schools to learn and develop
physical and mental health and wellbeing through sport, mainly cricket, this
program sees students learn new skills both personal and professional.
Throughout their partnership with Clontarf, MISDC has seen a number of
players join local competitions and even assist through umpiring and scoring,
along with the development of younger players. This is a great credit to the
work done during the establishment and delivery of this program.24 preparing for the
future/now
In 2019/20 Cricket NSW provided staggering 67 percent of registered One association whose volunteers
more support, training and participants. turned up in droves for the Online
education than ever before for our Registration Workshop reaped the
cricket communities. Together we In 2019/20, online registration benefits of their hard work. Maitland
accelerated our charge towards the became mandatory across Australian District Junior Cricket Association had
future while saving volunteers both for junior cricket participants. 35 enthusiastic volunteers show up
time and money via a number of
programs and initiatives rolled our
across the season. With volunteers Over $3,000,000 in Active Kids
front of mind we are preparing well
for a future that is already here. Vouchers redeemed on cricket.
The NSW Government ‘Active Kids for training run by Greater Hunter duo
Program’ provides two $100 vouchers Two Cricket NSW representatives, Sharyn Beck and Gary Fisher.
for school-enrolled children towards Kelly Meddings and Luke Miner, were
the cost of sport and recreation tasked with ensuring all field force The association’s 21 clubs took great
each year. The second voucher staff received training in the new advantage of the Active Kids Voucher
was introduced to provide greater online registration system. A total initiative, redeeming 895 vouchers
flexibility and application for summer of nine workshops were held before during registration, equating to 76
sports like cricket as the initial staff went out and delivered to the percent of all junior registrations.
vouchers were used on winter sports. community.
Clarence Town Cricket Club topped
While there were teething issues, the list with 100 percent of their junior
as there are with any new platform, club registrations using the voucher.
online registration coupled with
the heavy promotion of Active Kids Exceptional effort and well done to all
Vouchers this season resulted in great involved. The future of cricket looks to
success across the state. be in great hands.
As providers, Cricket NSW clubs and
associations needed to be able to
redeem the vouchers online.
This season a total of 30,284 vouchers
were redeemed for cricket, used by aCricket - Anywhere, Anytime
Mossgiel Cricket Blast - 792km from Sydney
leading e-scoring
With a focus on reducing the burden on time poor volunteers and a 2018/19 season review, Manning
River District Cricket Association (MRDCA) and Manning Junior Cricket Association (MJCA) identified
scoring and the entry of player scores as a task they could vastly improve.
Highlighted in the review process were the many errors on MyCricket including team scores, which were
compounded by delays in uploading the scores to the system. There were also a significant number of player
statistics that had not been entered, making personal statistical awards and talent identification all but
impossible. This process resulted in copious amounts of work for the volunteers.
For season 2019/20, the MRDCA purchased 14 tablets and power banks at a cost of $4,945 to enable the
introduction of the use of technology. This initiative would provide benefits to both senior and junior teams
within the clubs as the device could be used at junior matches in the morning and again for senior matches
in the afternoon.
In the lead up to the season, the MRDCA in conjunction with Cricket NSW conducted a ‘MyCricket Live Score’
Training session which was attended by over 50 volunteers from junior and senior clubs across the Manning.
The provision of assistance did not stop there, with troubleshooting and upskilling of scorers always front of
mind. The process was continually monitored and reviewed at general association meetings, allowing the
clubs to provide feedback and to develop an FAQ information document for volunteers.
On the back of this initiative the success is evident with MRDCA increasing its E-Score usage from 23 percent in
2018/19 to 86 percent in season 2019/20. The MJCA went from 31 percent in 2018/19 to 87 percent in 2019/20.
These fantastic results put the two Associations amongst the top 10 across the country.26
it’s good
A new era was born when Young Cricket Association had a 100% turnover of committee members prior to
the 2019/20 season. Little did they know the impact they would have on the local cricket scene, and the
recognition they would receive.
As a key member of the Southwest Slopes Cricket Association, Young Cricket plays an important part in administering
cricket locally, forming a significant piece of the SWSCL and providing opportunities for kids to play representative
cricket in the Northern Riverina Council and Riverina Zone.
With a brand-new group of people, Young Cricket Association were able to achieve:
• Growth in junior and senior cricket, along with a 50% increase in Cricket Blast participants
• Transition from Lachlan Valley Council (Western Zone) to Northern Riverina Council (Riverina Zone)
• Southern NSW/ACT Area - highest E-Scoring percentage with multiple CNSW E-Scoring initiative winners
• Pink Stumps Day for Mental Health awareness
• Presence in 100 percent of schools in the region
• Partnership with local Woolworths to support School Gala Day and Cricket Blast program
By re-defining the committee structure, both junior and senior cricket have been administered from the one place.
This has led to a renewed focus on junior to senior cricket transition. The structure has also seen buy in from junior
stakeholders to senior cricket, and vice versa. A great example is the Cricket Blast centre being coordinated by
playing members of the senior cricket community.
The committee also took ownership
of the Cricket NSW relationship
with schools, conducting an audit
to link members of the association
with all schools in the region. This
included parents, students, teachers
and executives, which helped the
engagement 100 percent of schools in
Young for the 2019-20 season.
L to R: Ollie Davies (Thunder), Ray Death
(VP Young DCA) and Rene Farrell (Thunder)27
to be young
This ownership extended to the School Gala day in Young, the biggest in the town’s history. The committee was
on hand all day to run the canteen, assist with answering questions and promoting cricket in Young to over 500
students in attendance.
Initiatives undertaken included:
• Association Audit with all schools involved including Catholic Schools for the first time
• Excellent E-Scoring Results
• Community Cricket clinics run in the summer holidays to keep kids engaged and assist in more training
resources for coaches
• A relationship with local media. The Young Witness newspaper attended all school clinics, Country Blitz,
community holiday clinic and charity Pink Stumps game
• A Woolworths partnership which enabled fruit and water, a bag and Young Cricket flyer to be supplied to
over 500 children at Gala Day. Fruit and water was also supplied to all Cricket Blast players after each session.
No matter which way it is viewed, Young CA had a fantastic season and were worthy ‘A Sport For All” Association of
the Year winners chosen from nominations across the state
“We really appreciated the effort and work of our Cricket NSW
representatives this season. We feel the season was a great success and we
can only improve in season’s going forward”
“As with any cricket club or organization, we need to set both short and
medium term goals to work towards and we feel as though we have set a
great platform to move Young cricket forward in the next couple of years”
Nigel Hall (YDCA President)
“For Young DCA to be recognized as the A Sport for All Association of the
Year, speaks volumes for the effort put in by the entire committee all season”
“In a year which was impacted by rain, heat, smoke, fires and a global
pandemic, the ability of the Association to be forward thinking, and do what
is best for Cricket was exceptional. It really is a great case study of what can
be achieved with a proactive working relationship between Cricket NSW and
local clubs and associations”.
Michael Minns (Cricket Manager – Southern Inland NSW)28
batting
New South Wales was devastated by bushfires
throughout the Summer with over 5.4 million
hectares of scorched land. Thick smoke and orange
skies marked the disaster as it unfolded.
4 bushfires
“I encourage cricket fans to make the trip to Port
Macquarie to help lift the community spirit and
contribute dollars to the local economy.”
Crowds flocked to the match, with in excess of 1,000
Across the state 2,439 homes were destroyed, with cricket fans present. It provided a rare opportunity
3,094 lost across Australia. Three volunteer firefighters for 70 young, local Woolworths Cricket Blast players
lost their lives among 17 confirmed deaths in NSW. to have a special on-ground experience prior to the
match.
Communities banded together and support came
from far and wide. This included the cricket community. Local volunteers assisted with running the on-ground
The Mid North Coast saw vast devastation across both clinic. At the end the children joined together to
the Manning and Macleay regions. create a tunnel for the players to make their way onto
the ground. Ironically the event finished early as the
The Batting for Bushfires initiative saw the SCG XI rain fell, something nobody could complain about.
travel to Port Macquarie to play the first T20 under
lights at Oxley Oval. Cricket Manager for the Mid North Coast Luke Miner
praised the success of the event, which raised over
Former Australian Test stars Stuart Clark, Mark Waugh, $3,000 spread amongst the following organisations;
Brad Haddin and Stuart MacGill headlined the SCG XI Australian Red Cross Bushfire Relief Appeal, Lower
team taking on a local XI. North Coast RFS, Wauchope RFS, Wauchope Rural
Services.
Australian and NSW cricket legend Mark Waugh said:
“As a resident of regional NSW, I have seen firsthand the A massive thank you to all the volunteers, players,
devastation caused by bushfires and the enormous sponsors and Cricket NSW staff who made the event
challenge faced by communities to rebuild their lives. possible. It made a real impact on the community.29
DROUGHT
BREAKER
541km from the home of the #ThunderNation in Sydney Olympic Park is the small
town of Nyngan, colloquially known as “The Gateway to the Outback.”
The Nyngan Cricket Team, also known as “The Brown Snakes” due to some unwelcome pitch invaders, is a
team made up predominantly of farmers and farm hands whose livelihoods largely depend upon the Bogan
River, a catchment within the Murray-Darling Basin.
These farmers have been devastated by what some have called the worst drought in 120 years of Australian
records. Yet they will still show up for cricket with a smile on their face and their kit in the back of the Land
Cruiser, and if you are really lucky they’ll even be on time!
Those from the metro and coastal regions that visited Recognising the hardships faced by many in rural areas,
Dubbo for the State Youth Championships earlier Cricket NSW and Kookaburra Cricket joined forces and
this year will remember the dust storms that savaged arranged delivery of boxes of drought relief cricket balls.
the carnival. They will remember the baron red earth
alongside the road from their drive home and the Each association from the drought devastated regions of
emptiness of the land. NSW received one box of cricket balls, a help that takes
a financial burden off the shoulders of those who have
For “The Brown Snakes” in January, that was the land been hit the hardest and helps them keep playing the
they were trying to harvest on. As far as the eye could game they love.
see, there was nothing but red dust.
A cynic might’ve said that one box of cricket balls does
very little, and that they would be better sending a box
of water bottles. Yet one box of cricket balls did a lot of
good in Nyngan.
On February the 9th, the Club Officer for SWNSW made
the drive out to Nyngan to deliver their drought relief
cricket balls and to promote E-Scoring.
Little did he know he would bring torrential, but much
needed, rain that would flood the cricket oval and cause
the match to be abandoned.
So much for promoting E-Scoring he thought, there’s no
match to score!
But the locals were ecstatic. Toby Miles, the Nyngan
District Cricket Association President and captain of The
Brown Snakes, commented that “these drought relief
balls seem to be working alright!”
And so they have, so much so that today there are
rumours of grass and greenery returning to the farms
the outback.You can also read
