Can you hear that rumble? It mightn’t sound too familiar, because not too long ago it was just a whisper.
Three World Cups were won. Slowly it becomes a murmur. The Ashes were won on foreign soil. Louder it becomes.
It’s women’s cricket and it’s gaining momentum.
For many years, Australia has had the finest women cricketers in the world. Betty Wilson, Belinda Clark, Cathryn Fitzpatrick and Lisa Sthalekar, just to name just a few.
Women participation in cricket is on the incline and it’s no coincidence. The Southern Stars have been an incredible side and a brilliant group of role models for so many young Australian girls.
I’m excited that all our Aussie girls finally have a stage to perform in the public eye in the form of their own Big Bash League, which starts this Saturday (December 5).
And frankly, it’s been a long time coming.
Unlike the men, WBBL team training sessions take place in the evening because almost all of the women have full-time jobs. The fixture is a bit of a mess, but each side in the WBBL will play twice as many games as the men, and have much lower travel budgets to spend on airfares and accommodation.
Only eight games and the final will be broadcast on Channel Ten, but that is still a huge improvement on the past. Domestic, not international, women’s cricket being shown on free-to-air television is a huge step forward for promoting the game.
Remembering that sport as a whole is now an entertainment industry, I wonder if the WBBL will bring enough to the table to satisfy viewers.
I hope that the total number of sixes isn’t what helps people decide. The elegance of a cover drive or the skill of a perfectly executed yorker is just as often seen in the women’s game and hopefully people can recognise that.
Entry to games around the country will be free with the exception of the double-header matches, which run into the BBL fixtures.
I’m interested to know – is everyone else as keen as I am to see how this goes?
(If you’re in Melbourne, get down to the Junction Oval on Saturday for the first ever WBBL match: Melbourne Stars versus Brisbane Heat from 10am.)
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