Women’s cricket would be a first for 2022 Games
WOMEN’S cricket is strongly expected to be added to the 2022 Commonwealth Games programme, the Birmingham Post understands.
Seventeen sports and associated venues for the Games were confirmed in October last year.
But the Organising Committee board is considering a number of disciplines as part of its Additional Sports Review – and there appears a compelling case for women’s cricket.
There is a view among the committee that the inclusion of the sport, at an event contested by many of the world’s major players, would boost its profile.
And the worldwide spotlight would help to grow the game internationally when it is just starting to take off.
Committee chairman John Crabtree, who grew up a stone’s throw from Edgbaston Cricket Ground, says women’s cricket is being discussed, but insists a final decision has not been made.
“So many of the Commonwealth countries are such great cricketing nations,” Mr Crabtree told the Birmingham Post.
“We haven’t signed it off yet so we haven’t gone back to the various organisations and bodies who have promoted their sports.
“They ought to
have
some response from haven’t had yet.”
Edgbaston, which will host 11 days of major match cricket this summer – including five marquee fixtures in the ICC World Cup and the first Ashes Test – would be the obvious choice.
Chief Superintendent Dave Sturman, overseeing the police operation for the Games, said Worcestershire’s New Road cricket ground had also been earmarked as a potential venue.
Only once has cricket been included in the 88-year history of the Games.
That was in the 1998 event in Malaysia when 16 men’s teams competed in a 50-over tournament won by South Africa.
Men’s cricket has not been discussed as an option for the Games in Birmingham, which will run from July 27 to August 7, simply because there is not enough room in an already crammed calendar.
Archery, shooting, para-table tennis and beach volleyball are the other sports under consideration as part of the review.
The 2022 Organising Committee, which recently appointed Ian Reid, who was involved in the 2014 Games in Glasgow, as chief executive, must factor funding into its verdict on
us,
which
they additional sports. In its current guise, the event will cost close to £750 million with around 75 per cent (estimated at £526.5 million) to be provided by central government and the remainder from local authorities and regional partnerships.
The committee must apply to the Commonwealth Games Federation to extend the scope of the 2022 edition.
A final decision is expected in the coming weeks when a logo and marketing around the Games are also set to be unveiled.
“We’ve done a lot of work on how we might brand the Games and promote them,” said Mr Crabtree, former president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and exchairman of the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust.
“We should be going live with that in March I hope, and certainly by April.
“That will be a big step forward. We’ll launch it at a big event and the logo will then start appearing around the city and the region.
“We’ve done a lot of consultation and talking to the public.
“There’s been lots on social media and events at schools and colleges and shopping malls. A lot has gone into that and I think people will like the result.
“Everyone I have spoken
about it thinks it’s great.”
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