Burnie scores the Big Bash

BIG Bash cricket will hit the north-west coast for the first time this summer when the women’s Hobart Hurricanes play a match in Burnie.

West Park will host the WBBL clash – with the date and opposition yet to be finalised – with it to be the first domestic contest on the coast since Tasmania hosted backto-back One-Day Cup games in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The State Government has provided $200,000 to support three games in the north-west and north of the state, with UTAS Stadium to again see the Hurricanes in action twice.

Launceston, which attracted nearly 17,000 fans for the inaugural BBL match between the Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder last December, will also land a second men’s fixture as part of the expansion of the BBL in 2018-19.

“This announcement is another big step towards the Hurricanes living this vision [of Cricket Tasmania being Tasmania’s team], through taking elite cricket to all parts of the state, and by welcoming the local community to attend the games and being involved in cricket,” Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins said.

“There is nothing like seeing your heroes up close and personal and it’s exciting to think that young girls and boys who attend this Burnie match may be inspired to one day wear the Hurricanes purple.

“It can also prove a catalyst for venue upgrades as we currently support almost 45,000 cricket participants at 192 grounds right around Tasmania. Thirty-four per cent of these people are women or girls and that number is rising fast, so we are pretty keen for our WBBL Hurricanes to keep driving that female engagement too.”

The Federal Government has also pledged $350,000 as a contribution towards a $500,000 upgrade at West Park, which includes a new electronic scoreboard, better lighting and upgrading of change rooms and facilities for females.