A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME
Cricket is pitching for its future as hot competition in the junior sport market contributes to a decline in local players
JUNIOR cricket matches with fewer players and shorter boundaries and pitches are expected to be trialled in the Bellarine and Colac junior competitions this season as the game’s administrators attempt to curb declining participation.
Making the game more accessible for youngsters, building relationships with schools and enticing more girls to play the game are all crucial to ensuring the future of the sport in the increasingly competitive junior market, according to a new study.
In a first for the region, next year’s under-11 games may be played on pitches 15 metres long and on grounds with 35-metre boundaries, following recommendations from the sport’s peak body, Cricket Australia.
Other flexible trial conditions, to encourage junior participation in the game, include capping games at 120 minutes, 20 overs per team and seven players on each side.
The trial comes as local advocacy group G21 has undertaken a widespread strategy of the region’s cricket participation and long-term needs to safeguard the game’s future.
G21’s work to develop a Barwon cricket strategy has found that between seasons 2013-14 and 2015-16: FEMALE participation across the region was less than half the state average. JUNIOR participation is on the decline with a loss of 111 players under the age of 12. PARTNERSHIPS with local schools and community groups is a clear gap across the region. THE Barwon region lost 180 players between seasons 2013-14 and 2015-16. PARTICIPATION in the Barwon region was the fifth highest in the state last season with 5900 people playing the game.
St Joseph’s Cricket Club president Andrew Downie says more emphasis needs to be put on the 10 to 14-yearold group. “This is where we start to see a drop-off, in players from 14 years old,” Mr Downie says.
The club’s junior program — considered one of the region’s best — consisted of 11 teams and a New Zealand tour for players at under-15 level last season.
Mr Downie says it is up to clubs to establish and nurture links with schools. “(In the region) there is marketing into schools but it often isn’t developed,” he says.
Geelong Cricket Association president Barry McFarlane says the future of the game also depends on enticing girls to play the sport and expects the number of girls’ teams in the CGA to double in season 2017-18.
“The GCA will be asking clubs in the next few weeks to signal interest in developing girls’ teams this season,” Mr McFarlane says.
He says the association will take feedback from the Bellarine and Colac trials of the new junior formats to support possible rule changes in the future.
“We will take feedback from those trials and possibly look to implement those rules (in our junior competitions).”
Mr McFarlane expects the Test series between Australia and England, due to begin in Australia later this year, to boost junior cricket participation in the Barwon region.
“When we have an Ashes series (Australia v England) in Australia it gives us a boost in junior numbers for the next 12 to 18 months,” he said.
Mr McFarlane says GCA partnerships with schools in the northern suburbs is another key to resurrecting the junior game.
G21’s development of a plan to guide the sport in the region into the future is nearing half way, with the end result expected in December.
G21 believes more has to be done to grow the game in the region.
“Despite the region’s strong overall participant base, there is a need to address recent declining player numbers across all age groups and program types,” Mr McFarlane says.