With just over 40 days to go until the Australian Women’s Cricket Team kick start their campaign at Junction Oval against New Zealand to secure the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, cricket fever is rising with the arrival of the T20 Trophy Tour in Victoria.

Member for Wendouree Julianna Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today welcomed the national trophy tour on its first stop at Ballarat at the newly redeveloped Regional Cricket Hub at Eastern Oval, made possible thanks to a $2 million investment from the Andrews Labor Government.

The Trophy Tour is showcasing the stories of inspiring women from communities across Australia and will next visit Bendigo on 22 January followed by Melbourne from 4 – 10 February ahead of the first Women’s match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 21 February.

World Cup organisers have secured global superstar Katy Perry to perform at the 8 March decider at the MCG on International Women’s Day. Victorians are being encouraged to come along and smash the world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event that’s inspiring budding female cricketers for years to come.

Record numbers of women and girls in Victoria are signing up to play cricket, and that number is expected to increase when the world’s best women’s cricket players hit Australia’s sports capital to compete at the Cup.

In the 2018-19 season, Victoria saw an 11.6 per cent increase in the number of new girls’ teams taking to the field boosting that number up to 2,143 teams.

The Labor Government is supporting women’s participation in cricket through it $13.5 million Community Cricket Program, which includes funding to clubs and councils to develop or redevelop local cricket infrastructure from training nets through to female friendly and accessible change rooms.

The Government’s T20 World Cup Legacy Program is also providing local cricketers with coaching scholarships, leadership programs and an expanded Regional Big Bash series, which will further help cricket’s next up and coming players reach their potential.

For more information on the ICC Women’s World Cup T20 Trophy Tour go to: https://www.t20worldcup.com/trophytour

Quotes attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“Ballarat has a proud sporting history and a bright future and we’re even prouder that Ballarat is the first stop on the T20 National Trophy Tour.”

“With the start of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup just a few weeks away and with new initiatives like the Community Cricket and T20 World Cup Legacy Programs, there’s never been a better or more exciting time for girls and women to get into cricket.”

Quote attributable to Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle

“It is an incredible moment for Ballarat to be hosting the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy Tour. It will inspire our next generation of cricket players and also encourage girls and women all across Australia to follow in the footsteps of their sporting heroes.”