Supporting cricket in the ACT.

As a nation, Australian’s love participating in and watching sports. Since the first recorded cricket match in Australia in December 1803, cricket has become the most popular sport in the summer months.

Surveys show that 93.6% of Australians watch some cricket on TV and more than 2 million will attend a cricket event*.   

At Beyond Bank, we recognise the importance of sport, not just for national pride, but also to promote stronger, healthier, and safer communities. Sport encourages teamwork, helps develop patience, requires practice and improves physical fitness. It also helps our mental health by creating a sense of belonging, building self-esteem, and providing the opportunity for social interaction.  

We have partnered with Cricket ACT since 2019. We're supporting their vision for cricket to be “Australia’s favourite sport – a sport for all Australians”. 

Recently we sat down with Matthew Phelps, General Manager, Commercial & Operations of Cricket ACT, to talk about the growing success of women’s cricket in Canberra.   

Tell us your thoughts about the current state of women’s cricket in Canberra. 

Female participation in the ACT has been growing at approximately 15% per year, which is really exciting. Our entry-level programs have enjoyed the most growth and those girls have made their way into junior competitions. 

Cricket ACT has also resourced pathway and coaching programs to support teams and individual skills even further. We’ve seen several ACT teams and individuals enjoying success in competitions or higher honours which has increased the profile and acceptance of females playing cricket.

The increased exposure to international female cricket in Canberra has played a part too. Manuka Oval is hosting more international matches every year, culminating in an Ashes Test this coming summer.