Cricket Australia comment on female participation

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland today reinforced Australian cricket’s absolute commitment to increasing female participation across every level of the game.

Mr Sutherland was responding to a media report quoting an email that criticised the selection of a promising young female player in a boy’s school cricket team.

“I am astounded that in this day and age, people can be so narrow-minded,” said Mr Sutherland.

“This matter simply reinforces Australian cricket’s absolute commitment to promoting our national sport as a game for all Australians – a sport for men, women, boys and girls.

“Hopefully it will create further awareness because cricket wants and needs more females involved in the game for it to be strong and viable in the long term.

“We are encouraging more females to be involved in every way: as players, coaches, administrators, umpires and spectators. We will continue to work to provide every opportunity for this to occur.

“It is not uncommon for female players to compete in male cricket competitions. It is an experience that most female cricketers have gone through because they are good enough to compete with and against males up to certain levels of competition.

“The captain of our national team, Karen Rolton, regularly plays in men’s grade competition in Adelaide.

“We commend Barker College and other schools and clubs for the approach they are taking and providing opportunity for cricketers to play based on merit.

“Barker College has produced three of our current Australian female players in Lisa Sthalekar and twins Kate and Alex Blackwell.

“The school is also part of our Playing in Harmony pilot program in partnership with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

“Our national women’s team, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars, have just completed another successful series and we will continue to encourage all female players to pursue their dreams of playing cricket and of representing Australia.”