Manuka Oval at its best, but with low attendance for the PM’s XI. Picture: Jennifer Andrew.
The PM’s XI finished at Manuka on Sunday – not that it changed the weekend plans of many Canberrans.
The reluctance of England’s test players to turn up for some pink ball practice certainly didn’t help in the promotion of the game.
Instead, England sent their development team to Canberra to face an Australian team with a mix of test players seeking redemption and young up-and-comers.
The impact was there for all to see with plenty of empty seats for a fixture which, in the past, has attracted big crowds.
It’s fair to say it has been on the decline for a few years now.
It used to be the main fixture on the ACT Cricket calendar and was viewed as a celebration of cricket featuring plenty of big names in a festival-type atmosphere.
With Cricket Australia assuming control of the game, it would appear that promotion and awareness of the fixture have dropped off considerably.
The poor turnout fails to reflect the growth in the number of people playing cricket in the ACT, which has been considerable, to the point that the availability of grounds to cater for the numbers has become an issue.
Australia batting on the first day against England at Manuka Oval for the PM’s XI, with Kellaway making an impressive 82 runs. Photo: Jennifer Andrew.
This is evidence enough that Cricket ACT has done a great job in promoting the sport at a community level.
Ideally, the ACT should regain control of promoting the PM’s XI game to ensure that it isn’t viewed as simply a full-in fixture in the middle of a crowded calendar.
It also coincides with the campaign by the ACT to have a greater presence in Australian cricket, including securing a Big Bash men’s and women’s franchise, along with a Sheffield Shield team.
There are plenty of obstacles, with vested interest topping the list as states and centres keen to preserve their patch show little interest in supporting the ACT’s push.
Spend five minutes with Cricket ACT Chair Greg Boorer, and you quickly discover that he isn’t one to walk away from a challenge, and there are few greater challenges than securing a place at Cricket Australia’s board table.
Greg Boorer, ACT Cricket Chair, speaking at the Lord’s Taverners’ dinner at Manuka Oval. Photo: Jennifer Andrew.
There is a sense of deja vu with memories of the Comets’ dumping from the Mercantile Mutual Cup in 2000.
There are similarities in Cricket ACT’s battle to gain a greater presence and the struggles encountered by the Raiders before they entered the NSWRL in 1982.
The Canberra bid for a team in the NSWRL competition faced continued resistance before all opposition was effectively exhausted, including the claim that fog at Canberra Airport would affect flights.
Boorer is well aware of that history, and of cricket in the ACT. He has exhausted all the arguments against ACT teams entering major competitions. He has statistics at hand to counter the claim that Canberra cricket lacks player talent, and he has shown that the ACT is financially viable.
Alongside that, the ACT has Manuka Oval, which looked its very best on the weekend for the PM’s XI. It’s a ground fit for major cricket events. There are simply no reasons left for Cricket Australia to leave ACT Cricket out of the big picture.
