Stars having a bash for women’s sport
AUSTRALIA’S champion Southern Stars are determined to capitalise on their Ashes success and turn the inaugural women’s Big Bash into a landmark occasion for women’s sport.
The most impressive aspect of the Stars’ drought-breaking win in England is that their motivation for success extends far beyond the 15 players in the dressingroom.
As it stands, Australia’s brilliant women’s cricketers don’t receive anywhere near the fi- nancial or public recognition they deserve when compared with their male counterparts.
However, Meg Lanning’s team couldn’t be doing any more as pioneers for what the future face of women’s sport should look like.
The Stars’ Ashes triumph in England is the first by an Australian team, male or female, since 2001, but the historic achievement will quickly fade into the background if Cricket Australia can’t carry the momentum surrounding the women’s game through to the BBL starting in December.
Vice-captain Alex Blackwell said the Australian team saw themselves as ambassadors and hoped that the Stars were setting a foundation for future generations of women’s cricketers.
“I think what we’ve seen here in England over this Ashes series is every match has been live on TV and we’ve had sellout crowds for stand-alone women’s games,” Blackwell said.
“I hope to see the women’s Big Bash generate a lot of interest and get the crowds in to watch us, in particular with the double-headers that will occur with some televised matches.
“I’d really like to play in front of a more friendly home crowd.”