CRICKET CENTRAL

Cricket NSW’s new home, Cricket Central at Sydney Olympic Park, threw its doors open to the community at the start of the 2022/23 season. Hosting a number of Woolworths Cricket Blast programs for 5-10 year-olds has helped over 200 registered participants, including 53 girls, to play and love cricket. These programs included , School Holiday and Junior and Master Blasters programs on the main oval and in the indoor centre.

“While Cricket Central is the home for our elite players and staff, it is also very much the home for all of those who play and love cricket in the state. It’s the best cricket facility in the Southern Hemisphere and brings all of cricket’s communities together,” David McDonald, General Manager, Cricket Central

Cricket NSW launched the new facility on August 21, 2022, when they hosted a Community Open Day for the official opening of the state-of-the-art Cricket Central facility. The venue houses an ICC-compliant oval, 15 indoor nets, including the majority that are available to the public, 43 outdoor lanes, a gym, function facilities, medical rooms, and the offices for CNSW’s administration. The nets and the grounds have proudly hosted several events over the season.

Cricket Central will be running Woolworths Cricket Blast programs in 2023/24. Register here https://www.playhq.com/cricket-australia/register/73ea04

The Day It Opened Its Doors

WHERE: Cricket Central WHEN: August 2022

Cricket Central opened its doors to the community on Sunday, August 21, 2022. The Community Open Day was a free public event, with NSW cricketers in attendance. There were cricket clinics, face painting, DJs, food trucks, facility tours, giveaways and much more and it was a truly festive atmosphere. The day started with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon, CNSW board members, as well as key government stakeholders, partners, and sponsors were present to officially open Cricket Central.

Catching A Star

WHERE: Cricket Central WHEN: Across the season

T20 World Cup Mania

WHERE: Cricket Central

WHEN: November 2022

If you’d like a guided tour of Cricket Central, contact your local cricket manager.

During one of these sessions, eight-year-old Shresta Meduru came in to play cricket and became the face of Woolworths Cricket Blast appearing in media promotions across the season.

This season Cricket Central has hosted several Woolworths Cricket Blast programs, giving over 200 registered 5-10 year-old boys and girls the opportunity to participate in Cricket Blast activities on the Cricket Central main oval, alongside their NSW Blues and Breakers idols. A number of the star players would often drop by to teach some cool skills to the kids. Parents would buy a coffee and sit at the on-site café as they watch their children participating in all the fun Cricket Blast activities.

Over 400 people from the local community came to Cricket Central in November 2022 to meet their cricketing heroes during the Pakistan and South Africa T-20 World Cup teams’ official welcome event.

The Cricket Central Woolworths Cricket Blast participants had the opportunity to showcase their own cricket skills in front of the teams and were invited to sit front row where they were able to meet and shake hands with the players as well as getting some autographs.

This was the first-time international teams visited Cricket Central, two months post its opening.

When Mitch Starc Dropped By

WHERE: Cricket Central

WHEN: January 2023

Winston Hills Cricket Club, located in Metro Sydney, invited their regional sister club, Narrabri Cricket Club, to Sydney for a weekend of friendly cricket games and the two clubs came in to visit Cricket Central. The clubs enjoyed a full tour of the building.

The players were lucky enough to have Mitchell Starc drop by and took many photos with him.

Weather Report At Sunrise

WHERE: Cricket Central

WHEN: August 2022

Celebrated weatherman Sam Mac from Channel 7 Sunrise visited Cricket Central to broadcast the weather and highlight the new facility. Around 30 Woolworths Cricket Blast kids had the opportunity to attend and show off their cricket skills. Some boys and girls from Wenty Leagues Cricket Club also had the opportunity to be on the weather report from the indoor centre with some of their NSW Blues heroes.

Staying Indoors

WHERE: Cricket Central

WHEN: Across the season

When the weather hasn’t been great, Cricket Central’s Indoor Centre has provided 5-10 year-old boys and girls the opportunity to participate in Woolworths Cricket Blast activities indoors, where there is no issue of inclement weather impacting the program.

Next Stop

WHERE: Cricket Central WHEN: December 2022

Pendle Hill Cricket Club Stage 1 and 2 teams were fortunate to visit Cricket Central where they participated in a training session in the Indoor Centre and did some drills on the main oval. They were also given a tour of the Cricket Central facility.