ON-GROUND ENGAGEMENT

The Community Cricket Experience (CCE) team have been kept very busy this season creating on-ground experiences (OGE) to thank our junior cricket community of players and volunteers.

Throughout the 2022/23 season, the onground international and BBL match day activations included over 1,000 people, across 59 activations during 30 match days. The participation of 119 volunteers from 61 clubs and associations and 775 Woolworths Cricket Blast and Junior Cricket participants taking to the field made every event one to remember, and not just for the matches being played.

The players and volunteers thoroughly enjoyed their activities including:

• Flag Bearers: Internationals and Test match

• Anthem Ceremonies: Test Match

• Lunchbreak activities Junior Blast: Test Match

• Lunchbreak activities Master Blast: Test Match

• Volunteer Walk: Test Match

• Blast Squad: Sixers & Thunder BBL/ WBBL matches

From The Hearts Of Legends

WHERE: Oaks Oval, Lismore

REGION: Far North Coast

WHEN: March 2023

The legendary players happily connected with the locals, taking photos, signing autographs and giving away equipment.

With The Flags Flying High

WHERE: North Sydney Oval, North Sydney

REGION: Northern Beaches

WHEN: January 2023

On January 24, 2023, at North Sydney Oval, girls from the u-15s teams from Collaroy Plateau Cricket Club and Peninsula Junior Cricket Club had the opportunity to be flagbearers for the first WT20I match between Australia and Pakistan.

They were great ambassadors for their clubs, all had a wonderful day, and enjoyed seeing Australia come away with the win

“Thank you again for this amazing experience! My son Matthew was very happy to have Steve Smith sign his hat, so a definite highlight for him. He jumped for joy when he ran off the field!”

[Bubble] “I wanted to say a big thank you from my wife, myself and of course my daughter, . I just want you to know how much we appreciate all you are doing for our young female cricket players.”

On Saturday, March 15, 2023, a former Lismore local lad called Gilly, who answers to the name of Adam Gilchrist to the rest of the world, enlisted a couple of mates to play in the “Heart of Sport Legends 20/20 Cricket Day” against the Mayor’s X1 at Oaks Oval. The floods that devastated the region in 2022 are still very visible and raw. The flood waters reached the roof of the grandstand at Oaks Oval, and despite the ongoing reconstruction, nearly 4000 locals piled into the ground and enjoyed the match with players such as Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Jason Gillespie, Andy Bichel, Chris Lynn, Stuart Clark, Steve O’Keefe, Dan Christian, Jimmy Maher, and Michael Kasprowicz front and centre with the bat and ball.

This was massive for the region, a view shared by Mayor Steve Krieg, council staff and the community who were entertained and inspired by the event.