Cricket Australia has unveiled its Women and Girls Action Plan, setting a course to transform the landscape of women’s sports over the next ten years. The plan aims to propel Cricket to the forefront, enhancing participation, audience engagement, commercial revenue, and representation. This ambitious strategy is not just about elevating women’s cricket; it also seeks to align with the ongoing women’s sports revolution.

Today, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, and former WA Cricket CEO Christina Matthews discussed the action plan, signalling a new era for the sport. The focus is on substantial investments in female-friendly infrastructure, grassroots programmes, and improved pay and competition conditions for players. This initiative is poised to significantly raise the profile of women’s internationals and the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), aiming to fill stadiums and amplify broadcast audiences.

With an expanded 40-game regular season for the WBBL and the introduction of a new domestic women’s T20 competition, the plan enhances high-performance opportunities for homegrown talent. This move will elevate the average female domestic player’s salary to $163,322 by the 2024-25 season, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. Additionally, every match of the upcoming Weber WBBL|10 will be televised, broadening the sport’s reach and enhancing its appeal to global and local fans alike.

The plan is comprehensive, touching on participation, representation, high performance, fandom, and commercial strategies to boost the women’s game. By 2034, Cricket Australia aims to see 600,000 people attending women’s cricket matches annually, increase revenue from women’s cricket to $121 million, and raise participation among young girls significantly. Moreover, the plan includes a $500 million investment in infrastructure specifically designed for women and girls’ cricket.

Key leadership positions across Australian Cricket are also set to see an increase in female representation, aiming for at least 40% in significant roles. Additionally, the plan sets ambitious goals for Australian women’s cricket, including clinching gold medals at the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.

Ellyse Perry praised the plan for its inclusivity and its role in ensuring that more women and girls can participate in cricket at every level. Nick Hockley highlighted cricket’s burgeoning role in championing gender balance in sports, inspired by record-breaking events like the T20 World Cup final, which saw unprecedented attendance figures for a women’s sporting event in Australia.

This plan not only charts a bright future for women’s cricket but also reinforces Australian Cricket’s commitment to nurturing a truly inclusive sport that offers equal opportunities and significant public and commercial interest in women’s games.

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