Cricket banks on CBA in landmark deal

Women’s cricket, Indigenous players and players with a disability are the big winners after Cricket Australia and Commonwealth Bank announced a landmark deal.

The deal is claimed to be the single largest investment in women’s sport and diversity programmes ever seen in Australia, with Commonwealth Bank investing more than $5 million per year over three years from 2017-18.

Cricket at all levels will benefit, including increasing awareness of and access to pathway opportunities for girls, growing grassroots cricket, and creating opportunities for Indigenous players to help them maintain a career in the game.

Cricket becomes the first non-Paralympian Australian sport to fully integrate and support its national teams for players with a disability, says Cricket Australia.

And the investment will also send Australia’s Indigenous men’s and women’s squads on a tour of England in 2018 as part of plans to commemorate the famous all-Aboriginal team tour of England in 1868.

“Our partnership with Australian cricket has been unbroken for close to 30 years,” said Commonwealth Bank chief executive, Ian Narev.

“Our on-going partnership will give cricket fans and players of all ages, genders, cultures and abilities the chance to step up to the crease and get involved in Australia’s favourite summer pastime.”

The announcement comes less than two weeks after the NSW Lendlease Breakers made history by becoming the country’s first fully professional domestic women’s sporting team.

• Pictured: Southern Stars celebrate their ICC victory, picture Cricket Australia website