Cricket Victoria has unveiled a new strategy for Victorian Women’s Premier Cricket.
The document outlines a broader integration of the competition across high performance, facilities management and pathways to grow a stronger Women’s Premier Cricket competition in the future.
The strategy will now form a more holistic approach to elite women’s club cricket in Victoria to drive player and coach development, retention of volunteers and the growth of facilities.
Cricket Victoria CEO Andrew Ingleton said the new vision would also lead toward a single overall Premier Cricket strategy – encompassing both men and women – in the coming seasons.
“Women’s Premier Cricket continues to be the bedrock for competitive cricket at club level and an important nurturing environment for future stars,” Ingleton said.
“Women’s Premier Cricket has a rich recent history of producing some of our brightest talent – from Australian captain Meg Lanning at Box Hill through to Sophie Molineux at Dandenong. We’re committed to a strategy that will see us deliver enhanced facilities, administration, playing opportunities and renewed focus on attracting new players in the future.”
Women’s Premier panel chair Penelope Cleghorn said the strategy set an important future direction for the competition.
“It is an incredibly proud moment to have a Women’s Premier Cricket strategy developed, for the betterment of all women and girls playing cricket in Victoria,” she said.
I’d like to thank the current members of the Women’s Premier Panel and Cricket Victoria Director Claudia Fatone for their hard work which has culminated in today’s announcement.
“The aim of this strategy is about consolidation rather than expansion of the competition. Women’s cricket is undergoing lots of positive change, and it is important that we provide a framework that will assist all stakeholders achieve the common goal of providing the best environment for our cricketers to excel.”
The new direction will see improved connections between clubs and schools, coaching and development and local councils.
Such new strategies, such as “delivering an outstanding competition”, would see Cricket Victoria look to develop the best high performance system in the country, and feed directly into the Australian and Big Bash teams.
In the document, Cricket Victoria also hopes that by 2022, 70 per cent of both Victorian WBBL lists will be from Victorian Premier Cricket, with Premier Cricket coaches integrated into high performance coaching and development.
Other sections of the strategy cover Cricket Victoria’s desire to increase participation and support in Victorian clubs by providing a sustainable high performance competition, developing Women’s Premier Cricket through youth programs and link to community cricket clubs, investment in infrastructure to provide quality facilities and venues for training, as well as a wider connection with the community.
To view the full Women’s Premier Cricket strategy, head to premier.cricketvictoria.com.au
